One Hundred Ways to Love
by Ms Western Ink
Summary: “The winner reserves the right to claim a reward,” he murmured, leaning over her, chapter 61. Manga spoilers. Shunsui x Nanao.
1. Savings Box

One Hundred Ways to Love

1 of 100: Savings Box

**SPOILERS: MANGA through chapter 324**

* * *

If anyone asked, she'd deny it.

If anyone discovered it, she'd lie.

Ise Nanao's moral code was bendable to the situation despite how rigid the world perceived her to be.

Her treasure, her secret, was kept discreetly in the back of her closet beneath one of her favorite velvet blankets. The black silk brocade box had been something she'd found in a vendor's booth in Rukongai during one of her walks there. Previous to that her treasure box had been an old case from the office that had once housed paper. It was only on her loneliest days that she even remembered that she had it.

Days when she knew her Captain was miles away and drunk and would never show himself upon her door.

Days when she knew he had female company other than her.

Days when she realized all too painfully she'd never be the woman at his side the way she secretly longed for.

Ise Nanao wasn't prone to moping or rehashing ugly feelings, but when she did it involved that secret box. She'd sneak into her own closet like a thief and carefully uncover that brocade box. Carefully, she handled it though it was very light weight. Retreating to her bedroom she'd sit in her favorite corner, the box in front of her, the tiny ivory clasps slid free… Within a small stack of papers would meet her eyes. It was trash to any other person. There were colored note papers, scraps of envelopes, bar napkins… Poem after poem after poem…

Her Captain had always fancied himself a writer and a romantic one at that. Over the years, positive scores of poems had drifted their way to her and no matter how carelessly she received them, taking them without a glance and filing them into her desk drawers, she always read them… and the most beautiful of them came home with her and nested in her secret box.

But it had been only once… one time alone… in the last hundred or so years that he'd given her something that stole her breath. He'd been drunk at the time, so deep into his cups he couldn't stand any longer; instead he swayed dangerously on her doorstep, his voice deeply slurred. Half of his clothes had been missing leaving him only in standard uniform, the deep black plunging low on his muscled chest. She'd gotten a dry mouth just looking at him, his hair free and wet… it had been raining.

"Nanao-chan… I wrote you a poem."

Normally, he didn't write her poems when he was at bars. On those prolific occasions he wrote them for his fellow bar flies… seeing him standing there, the rain misting down on him she'd felt obliged to take the offered paper from his hands. She wasn't sure how he'd kept it dry.

Just as she turned her eyes down to give it a cursory glance one of his hands curled about her jaw. His hands were huge; manly… all of her Captain was big, always towering over her slight frame. All too suddenly she smelled the alcohol from his breath and raised wide, cautious eyes to his face just in time to see and feel him press a neat kiss on her cheek.

She opened her mouth to chastise him when his brow furrowed at her before she'd even said a word. The fingers gently cradling her jaw suddenly tilted her whole head and those frowning lips of his …. Met hers.

It was less a kiss a more an explosion inside her. The chaste press to her cheek had not carried over to her mouth. The hand curled around her jaw dropped to find her waist pulling her as near as he could have her to his own body and still kiss her. Ardor poured from his mouth into hers, filling her chest until she ached. She wasn't sure which could make her drunk faster, his kiss or the alcohol on his breath.

"Nanao-chan," he breathed against her mouth, back lit by her front porch light. "Don't wake me up early tomorrow."

With that, he slid out of her doorway, away from her body and sauntered away into the darkness. She'd closed the door after him too overwhelmed to watch him disappear into the night.

The poem proved to be a mix of things that made little sense to her. In his drunkenness his mind had wandered too far and wide to make anything coherent but it was that poem, amongst the rest of his more beautiful composed pieces that she treasured most. It was the embodiment, the proof she'd had that night was real and that kiss he'd given her was truly hers.

So she guarded that box with the utmost secrecy and care. It was far too important to her to lose and far too personal to disclose.

fin.


	2. Lip Cream

One Hundred Ways to Love

2 of 100: Lip Cream

**SPOILERS: MANGA through chapter 324**

* * *

"Nanao-chan!"

The prim Vice-Captain of the Eighth Division scowled and clenched her teeth. Of all the names she hated to be called, 'Nanao-chan' was one of the worst. Her office door and windows were all open to allow in the spring breeze and inviting in unwanted persons it seemed.

Matsmoto Rangiku grinned widely as she held a bag up to her chest. It was white and paper and had a huge painted smiley face on it. Parcels of any sort were always unwelcome when given by Matsumoto. "Nanao-chan! I'm back from the real world and I brought _gifts_."

Thinking back to the last time she'd brought her a gift, a string bikini in pink, Nanao frowned. "I don't want it."

"Now, now… I didn't buy you clothes this time. I brought something better." It was already too late to escape. Matsumoto had the white paper bag on her desktop and was digging through it. "Hmmm? Where'd it go?"

Then she started pulling things out of the bag… and the only thing Nanao could identify clearly was a plush panda, the other things were in little white boxes with labels on the tops that she didn't want to read.

"Here it is! Grade A premium lip cream, guaranteed to keep your lips soft and kissable… " Nanao continued to frown as Matsumoto slid the box over to her. "See, it's a much better gift this time. But if you use that and the bikini, we could get you a man!" Matsumoto winked and quickly piled the rest of her stuff into her bag. "Gotta go, the Captain is looking for me!" Before Matsumoto could bounce herself back out the door, she paused.  
"Oh… I didn't get the tinted kind so you and Captain Kyouraku won't leave any evidence!" With a grin and a wave, Matsumoto left her.

Just as she was about to tuck the box away into her desk a little wisp of curiosity assailed her. What would it hurt to peek into the box? Inside was a round container and Nanao withdrew it to look at the label. It really said "guaranteed to make your lips soft and kissable".

What could it hurt?

Nanao twisted off the lid and dipped her finger inside and then coated her lips lightly with the pink cream. It was soft and… without meaning to, she licked her lips and tasted it.

It tasted like strawberries.

Deciding she'd been distracted enough she returned the little bottle to its box and stuck it in her desk drawer. At least it wasn't something lewd. A few minutes later her Captain appeared.

"Nanao-chan, look what I got." He was holding up a new bottle of sake, stroking it as if it were a beloved pet. "Matsumoto brought it for me. Shall we celebrate her return with a drink?" he offered.

"No, and there is a stack of papers there that need your signature. You are also required to attend a formal ceremony for the Academy at two in the afternoon tomorrow so do not forget."

He took a moment to glance over at the stacks and she looked back down at her own work.

"Nanao-chan?"

"Yes, Captain?"

"Do you smell strawberries?"

She ducked her head to hide the smile though she didn't know why she was smiling in the first place.

fin.


	3. Photograph

One Hundred Ways to Love

3 of 100: Photograph

**SPOILERS: MANGA through chapter 324**

* * *

Nanao hadn't consciously thought about it before, photo technology. Soul Society tech was not something she had ever majored in and wasn't something that caught her interest. So when she received an envelope on her desk with her name on it and opened it to find a stack of photographs she wasn't really sure what to immediately think except that she liked the quality of the picture. Much better, much more accurate than paintings based on human perception and skill.

Next was the subject of said photos: her Captain. Putting down the stack she looked back at the envelope. There were no identifiers on it to ID the sender.

Anonymous mail.

She picked up the photos once more and absently glanced through the first few. Her Captain looked good in a kimono though she wasn't quite sure just how suited he was for a furisode and full female obi as he was wearing in the picture. He must've been drunk she speculated.

Why had anyone thought to send her such a thing? Were they meant for her Captain and she'd gotten them by mistake?

The pictures revealed him dancing around, as if performing when a woman entered the next slide. Her tiny hands pulled knowledgeably at the kimono in the next pictures until Nanao was left staring at her Captain, fully naked with only the flexed position of his knee to guard his most private parts from the camera eye.

Nanao flushed.

So he'd gotten drunk, gotten into a kimono, and then been stripped out of said kimono in front of his drinking party? Or had this been a private party? There was no one else except for the one woman in the picture. She couldn't tell the location just by the background.

Why had someone sent her the pictures, she wondered, as her eyes followed the lines of his muscles. She drank his frame greedily, denying it to herself even as she indulged. What was she going to do with them? Quickly, she dropped the pictures and searched for a note, but there was nothing.

Gently, as if afraid, there came a tiny knock upon her office doorway. She always kept it open. Standing there was a young woman she'd never seen before. Nanao slid the photos beneath the concealing presence of the wide envelope discretely.

"Excuse me, Vice-Captain? May I speak to you a moment?"

The girl was young, very young, barely cresting her teenage years but she wore the standard uniform. Was she one of the Eighth Division members?

"Can I help you?"

The girl bowed her head and gave her name. Her hair was short, chestnut brown and cut around her face. "I … " she scratched her head as if frightened or shy. She was a tiny, mousy creature. "I found those... the pictures... this morning and I didn't know what to do about it so…"

"The photos?" Nanao clarified.

The girl nodded. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, it was an accident. I was just up early, that's all and decided to train because I haven't been doing so well lately. So I came up from the barracks to go to one of the training rooms and I got stuck. The Captain came in with some lady and I guess she had the pictures and she was threatening to show them to you. Captain Kyouraku didn't seem very concerned with that, telling her to just leave the pictures and he'd give them to you himself. The lady got angry and left and so did the Captain and the pictures, I found, were just left there on a table for anyone to see. Then I heard a commotion, the combat instructors usually come in around this hour too so I scooped them up and dropped them in an envelope with your name on them because I didn't know what else to do."

"Did you look at them?"

The girl shook her head. "I only saw the top one with the Captain in the kimono. They were in a neat stack on the table."

Nanao sighed. "I see, thank you."

Maybe she should look into this little matter, she thought with a terse scowl.

* * *

Ultimately, she left the photos on his desk in another sealed envelope and, again, without a note or identifiers. He would know the pictures there was no need for her to say anything. In the end, he didn't come to the office that day and she didn't go out to look for him. She headed home under a dusky sky laden with clouds. It might snow yet.

She had just prepared a pot of tea for her planned evening of reading and was at the window to see if the snow had yet started when she felt him. Her Captain had never entered her house without permission before. Turning to face him she found herself caught, one of his arms slid across her belly to hold her and his head came down to rest upon her shoulder.

"Nanao-chan…" he murmured gently.

"Captain?" she couldn't turn or shift in his arms. He was heavy, almost draped over her body and he smelled… he smelled like himself. Heavens, she thought suddenly, he seemed sober.

"Have you ever done something you regret, Nanao-chan?"

His voice was low, soft.

"Probably… everyone has."

"It seemed like fun. We could drink and have a little sex, I like those things. So it didn't really bother me she had a kimono fetish or cross dressing or whatever you call it…seemed like okay fun to me."

"Captain-"she started to interrupt, to tell him that he didn't need to explain to her, that she wasn't _owed_ an explanation, but he stopped her.

"Just listen please," he whispered, his lips almost against her ear. She fought the tremble that caused and wasn't sure if she was successful or not. "Just be Nanao for me tonight and let me be Shunsui."

With his weight against her, his warmth seeping to her body, his voice heavy with regret, she couldn't deny him. "Okay." She had known him too long to truly deny him anything he needed.

"Did they shock you? The pictures?"

"… no. should they have?"

She felt his smile against her shoulder but he didn't answer. "She became unexpectedly jealous… thought I was inattentive. I didn't know about the pictures until this morning or how many of them she has. They didn't seem all that scandalous to me, nothing that anyone who knew me would think was overly shocking but… it may damage me in the eyes of the academy students or those who do not know anything of me… she seemed to think that you would be the most surprised."

Nanao rolled her eyes. "I can't imagine why. They were rather tame considering some of the things I've only heard you to have done in the past. As far as the issue of public circulation of the photos is concerned, you may consider it resolved. I spoke to the lady herself this afternoon and ensured that nothing of any kind would be happening."

She saw no need to explain to him how she'd done that or, for that matter, that she'd used office resources and officers to track down the woman in question. It was, after all, part of her duty to take care of her Captain and she included this right under that heading… Sweep it all under the rug and forget about it. Quite suddenly, she found herself from beneath the weight of his chin and turned with her back to the wall. "You did what?"

"I've already handled this. Miss Atsuki was made very aware of my position on the matter and the consequences of failing to obey my orders regarding it."

"Oh, Nanao-chan…" those big hands of his closed around her shoulders and he tumbled her forward against him. Her nose pressed to the hard flesh of his bare chest through the large triangular plunge of his uniform and she breathed him in. "I wouldn't survive without you."

She smiled softly. "Yes, you would. I think you would survive anything, your path would just be a little rockier."

Capturing her face between his hands he pressed a kiss to her forehead… ardent and lingering. "My perfect Nanao-chan."

It was hard to be nitpicky at a man who was holding her as if she were the most precious thing in the world just because she hated that nickname. Nor did she dare open her mouth to tell him she wasn't perfect, so she stayed silent.

Instead, she offered him a cup of tea, which he declined with a lazy smile. "Jyuushiro is expecting me tonight." He withdrew enough to restore their personal space though the air around Nanao still felt heavy. "But I'll try not to bring you trouble …. For a while."

"You do that."

* * *

The next morning brought a new envelope to Nanao's desk. Dread curled in her stomach as she slit it open dumping yet another photo on her desk. This time it was not a stranger in the picture but herself… and her Captain… from yesterday.

His eyes were closed, his mouth pressed to her forehead. He looked relieved… peaceful. Nanao had never seen a photograph of herself but decided she didn't look particularly awful. Then she scowled. Where the hell were these pictures coming from?

fin.


	4. BandAid

One Hundred Ways to Love

4 of 100: Band-Aid

**SPOILERS: MANGA through chapter 324**

* * *

It was her favorite story: The Princess & The Sword. Every first of the month she came tottering around looking for him to sit and read with her. It was her favorite story tale, a strong female heroine, a girl with a weapon… It was one of her rare indulgences. The tiny shinigami was a worrier, old ahead of her years. She was a girl growing into an officer.

Ise Nanao was such a tiny girl with her big round eyes and short, cropped hair. She was a first for him, never before had he been sought out by one of his young members for story time. He couldn't say he didn't enjoy it.

There was a fine sheen of intelligence growing in her eyes. He liked fostering her knowledge, watching her grow and blossom. It gave him a sense of accomplishment to help her mature. Already she was learning and succeeding with advanced kidou spells something he should've expected despite her young age. She had already graduated the academy but when he looked at her he saw youth and often failed to see ability. Especially when she came and curled up next to him in a quiet corner of the office and they read her favorite story.

Sitting in his office he paged through a report on the top absently, barely reading it. Today he wanted to take her outside, it was hot but there was a nice shady cove in the garden. Just as he was turning the page she popped up in the doorway.

"Captain Kyouraku."

He wondered if there would be a command in her voice years to come. Looking up he found she had a text in her arms, no less than four hundred pages. Without looking at it he knew it was probably a kidou text and it was not what she wanted him to read with her. The hardcover book was pressed to her chest where, likely, a slimmer volume was hidden against her body.

"Are you free for a little while?"

"For my favorite girl? Always."

He wasn't sure when he'd started liking it so much, spending time with the young girl. At first he'd considered it his duty as a Captain to watch out for her, especially because she was young.

"I was waiting for my Nanao-chan!"

Standing up he left his reports behind. He took a moment to scoop the girl up into his arms, books and all, and headed out the door.

"Where are we going?" her bright eyes were wide. They were somewhere between lavender and silver in color and her mouth a straight coral line. When had he ever seen this girl smile? "Are you an orphan, Nanao-chan?"

She nodded sedately. "Most of the children in Rukongai are orphans, but I did okay."

No doubt, he thought, stepping out the back door. His favorite tree had a huge, round canopy and the shade beneath it was perfect for reading.

"Did you bring your favorite book today?" he asked carrying her toward the shade. She was such a lightweight in his arms. Did she have a sword?

"I brought a new one."

It was only when he sat her down on her own two feet that she showed him the book in question. He recognized the title immediately, he'd read it some years ago himself. The _Princess and the Sword_ had been a fairy tale but _Pleuvoir_ was a tragedy. He'd explained to her as best he could the loss of their Vice Captain just recently and he'd thought she was taking it well. Now, he wasn't so sure that was the case.

"Have you read it already?"

She nodded. That was usually the situation. Nanao had never brought him a book she hadn't pre-screened so to speak.

"Are you sure you want to read this?"

She nodded again.

With a sigh he opened the book and she curled up at his side. Turning a page carelessly, the paper caught and sliced along his finger and he hissed in response to the sharp, unexpected pain. Nanao's quick eyes turned up toward him. "What happened?"

"Paper cut."

"You have to treat that," she warned solemnly.

"It's only a small cut." He reached down to show her the tiny slit into his flesh wasn't even bleeding.

"No, no. You're the Captain, you have to take care of yourself." She further surprised him by reaching into her sleeve and withdrawing a tiny box. Raising a brow, he watched as she unsnapped the tiny clasp and took his hand. Grabbing her kidou book she placed it in her lap and put his hand down on the book. "I learned this at Fourth Division," she informed him. Wordlessly, her hands glowed and the tiny cut on his finger disappeared. She took a moment to withdraw a tiny white bandage and she tied it around his finger. "Leave that on until sunset and you should be okay."

Opening his mouth he started to tell her he didn't think it was necessary but her steely eyes were watching him. Instead he settled for patting her on the head. "You're going to grow into something fierce, aren't you, Nanao-chan?"

"It is my job to protect my Captain," she solemnly answered putting her book back over to the side as he took back his hand.

"Isn't it your Captain's job to take care of you?" he asked idly, smiling, looking back down at the book.

"No, you're misinformed."

He laughed.

fin.


	5. Oil, Sex

One Hundred Ways to Love

5 of 100:Oil, Sex

**SPOILERS: MANGA through chapter 324**

* * *

Nanao listened to the original topic of conversation around her dissolve into a sex talk without offering anything. She ought, she supposed, be grateful that Yachiru's innocent ears were absent the meeting. The pink haired young girl had taken on the assignment of getting Kuchiki Byakya's photos on her own and was, supposedly, cruising around his manor.

"I like to be oiled up, myself."

"Oooh!" Matsumoto exclaimed. "Kinky. Oil isn't bad, makes everything good and slippery."

"Or too slippery," Unohana offered. "Injury is more likely to occur with acrobatics and oil."

"How acrobatic? If one is flexible enough it should work out well enough," Soi Fon answered tapping her nails against the tabletop. "If you're careful."

"We've had our share of 'intimately related' injuries over at Fourth although no one ever admits such. Then, of course, there are the items that need to be removed because they've been inserted in places they weren't supposed to go."

Isane's face flamed. Unohana, not a regular committee member of the Shinigami Women's Association had been invited along by her Vice Captain that morning. With a clear schedule, she'd managed to tag along and now had a room full of apt faces staring at her.

"Need to use more oil girls," Matsumoto grinned before looking back at the only Captain in the room. "So what kind of stuff are we talking?"

"Well… " Unohana took a glance at her Vice-Captain who was clearly uneasy with the subject matter. But then, Isane had always been uncomfortable with talks about intimate things as far as her Captain knew. "There was a sword handle once, no blade… Hairbrush…. Glass bottle…food items... well those are some examples, there have been others."

Several of the ladies snickered.

"Male or female?"

"Both, although there are a few more males."

"So the lesson here is if you're going to insert foreign bodies, please choose carefully and use adequate lubrication. Can we get back to the topic at hand please, cell phone designs?" Nanao asked testily.

fin.


	6. Traveling

One Hundred Ways to Love

6 of 100: Traveling

**SPOILERS: MANGA through chapter 324**

* * *

It was awkward, sitting in a café in the "real world" with one Kuchiki Rukia. Their connection was tenuous at best but they had been formally introduced previous to today's meeting. Nanao, at her wit's end in Soul Society, had been forced out of her own office by the scheming Matsumoto and, if she wasn't mistaken, her scheming Captain as well.

The whole disastrous thing had been spurred on by the trouble-making Matsumoto Rangiku. Normally, she could've ignored the bouncy woman but she'd been whispering in her Captain's ear as much as Nanao's own and now he _expected_ something from her. Getting information from Matsumoto was unreliable so she'd decided to stake out the situation herself and get the facts. She wasn't going to be swindled into some practical joke that had all of her Soul Society acquaintances laughing at her.

"I apologize for inconveniencing you this way, Kuchiki-san, my problem was unexpected."

Despite her distant acquaintance with Kuchiki she had heard much about her and didn't doubt her reliability. Plus, she was the only female that Nanao knew that had prolonged exposure to the "real world" and certainly its holidays.

"Oh, no, no problem at all, Vice-Captain Ise. I'd be happy to assist you in any way." Rukia nodded.

Nanao thought she looked very much like her older brother and had a very stately grace to her. At least until one spoke to her and she revealed a rather nervous submissive personality to her seniors.

"Here is the situation: several days ago Matsumoto Rangiku, Vice-Captain of the Tenth Division, began spreading talk of a real world holiday called 'Valentines Day'. What I wish to know, is how exactly is this holiday celebrated?"

"Oh." Rukia sipped her coffee thoughtfully. "As I understand it, Valentine's is a lover's holiday. There is Valentines Day and White Day, one day for women and one day for men. Women celebrate Valentine's by giving a man they love chocolate candy."

That was at odds with what Matsumoto had told her. The blonde had involved parties and alcohol and handcuffs and a few more things Nanao didn't wish to think about. All of them had been inappropriate for the office. "Is that the extent of it? That simple?"

Rukia nodded looking slightly perplexed. "Women give chocolate to the men they love or to close male friends sometimes too. White Day is the opposite, men who got chocolate are supposed to return the favor to the woman and get her a gift of some kind. It doesn't have to be chocolate."

"I see. All I have to do is get him a chocolate? Where would I procure such an item?"

If the younger girl was curious, she did not ask. "I could take you to a few places. Did you want white chocolate or dark or milk? There's also filled chocolates with cherries and crèmes and nuts."

Nanao glowered. All she needed was a box of chocolates to give to her annoying Captain tomorrow morning. It didn't have to be fancy but it would be rude of her to bite off the girl's head when she was only trying to help.

"May I ask a personal question?" Rukia asked.

Seeing as she had already inconvenienced the girl, Nanao settled for a quick nod. She could always refuse to answer if it was impertinent.

"Is it for Captain Kyouraku?"

That seemed innocent enough. It wasn't as if it was a declaration of love or anything. "It is. Matsumoto has been regaling him with tales of the holiday all week and he's been making annoying faces at me and sending me notes. I want him to stop." She wasn't sure why she felt the need to justify her coming and researching the holiday but she did. It was just that way between women, answering unspoken questions sometimes.

"I've only met Captain Kyouraku once," Rukia murmured softly. "But I heard he used to go out sometimes with Renji and the other guys to drink so… maybe he would like some chocolates with liquor in the middle?"

Nanao's eyes lit. "They make those?"

Unexpectedly, Rukia perked up. "They do. I know where to get them!"

* * *

Kyouraku Shunsui awoke to a strange scent and the sound of shuffling. Cracking his eyes open he found his shoulder ached. He had slept too heavily and scarce moved off his left shoulder. Across from him, Nanao had arrived for work. He could see her thin frame in the dimness of the room. It was typical of her to come in early when she planned to go down to the training hall and teach her kidou classes.

Tardily, he recalled that today was the famed, "Valentine's" and wondered what, if anything, his Nanao had gotten him. Across from him at her desk she was lighting a lamp and finally settling. She had a mug of something hot and looked content to enjoy the quiet solitude for the short time it would last.

It was rare that he got to observe Nanao when she wasn't working. Usually she was at her desk sorting out the paperwork and keeping his Division going for him. Yesterday, he'd been informed that his Vice-Captain had not only been out of the office but had gone off on her own to the "real world" for reasons unknown. By the time he'd reached the office she was again perched at her desk looking for the entire world as if it were just an ordinary day. He'd also sneaked away while she wasn't looking though he suspected she had known he was there, she had that uncanny sense.

No use in denying that he'd been pestering her all week about Valentine's. When Matsumoto had told him about it, it seemed like fun. As far as he was concerned it was his job to make Nanao-chan have fun, she didn't have any on her own.

"Morning Nanao-chan," he drawled lowly.

"Good morning, Captain. Did you sleep here last night?"

Her voice was soft. Maybe just because his had been so or maybe it was because they were alone in the Division Eight Offices and it seemed appropriate. The sun hadn't even risen yet.

"I wanted to meet you early," he confessed. "How did your trip go?"

"What trip?"

He stayed where he was, lying on the floor of her office. "To the real world. Did you get what you needed?"

"Actually I got more than I wanted but both good things. They have this beverage called 'coffee' and I managed to bring some back with me. It's quite good."

"You shouldn't have gone alone."

He couldn't see her expression, but Nanao was prone to frowning. "Am I unable to defend myself?"

He ignored that. "I would've gone with you."

"You hardly could have considering you were the reason I went. Do not pretend ignorance, you have been obvious about wanting something all week." There was a sharpness to her tone that suggested annoyance. He had been pestering her, no denying that, but not overly much. Or, at least not more than usual.

Slowly, he sat up stretching leisurely. "You shouldn't have gone alone. Didn't I tell you a long, long time ago it was my job to take care of you?"

For a moment she looked confused. "If you are referring to the event that I am thinking then you are remembering it wrong because I clearly stated that it was my job to take care of _you._"

She wasn't a little girl anymore. There was no need for him to escort her everywhere, she had her own feet to stand on but that didn't mean he had to like it. What was so wrong about _wanting_ to take care of her?

"What did you get?"

Turning back toward the bookshelf behind her desk she came around and handed him a wrapped package. "Happy Valentine's Day, Captain."

His long-time right hand returned to her desk and he stared at the pink floral paper. "May I open it?"

"Certainly." She was back to sipping her … coffee, had she called it?

He tore the paper open and peered down at not one, but two, boxes of chocolate.

"As it happens, Valentine's Day is celebrated by giving chocolate."

He looked at the boxes, reading the labels. "Deluxe crème filled chocolates and… cherry liquor chocolates. Two boxes, Nanao-chan? Does this mean you love me twice as much?"

"Actually," she pushed her glasses a bit higher on the bridge of her nose. "I ended up feeling as like I wanted to get you something that didn't half alcohol in it after all but my guide had been so helpful in suggesting them that I didn't wish to offend her."

He tilted his head just so in contemplation. "Why'd you change your mind?"

There was a long moment of silence. "It seemed rude."

"Rude?"

"As if the only thing I knew about you was that you liked to drink or as if I were implying I thought you were a drunkard."

Chuckling he crumbled up the wrapping paper and tossed it into a wastebasket nearby. "Don't you already think so?"

"… if I did I wouldn't stay with you." A long moment of silence pervaded the office. "Would you like to try some coffee?"

Smiling gently, he nodded.

fin.

* * *


	7. Shooting Star

One Hundred Ways to Love

7 of 100: Shooting Stars

**SPOILERS: MANGA through chapter 324**

* * *

"You ever seen a shooting star, Nanao-chan?"

The girl was sitting some feet away, not looking up at the stars but looking down at her book. They were out on a camping/training trip and it was long after full dark. The studious Nanao had brought along a book light and had a lantern for back up.

"I have never seen a shooting star," she patiently answered without away from her book but her voice was clipped.

There was one thing he'd learned well in the years they'd been together. _ Do not interrupt Nanao when she is reading_. He'd been pestering her all night knowing she was trying to memorize a new kidou spell. So far she hadn't snapped at him but it was really only a matter of time.

Katoru, his replacement Vice-Captain following Yadomaru, was a little more laid-back and tended to take Nanao's side. Shunsui wondered when Nanao-chan had become his favorite person in the Division. Could he be accused of favoritism? It wasn't as if he did anything special for her, no promotions or missions… his favoritism tended to center on showing up to pester her…

"Hey, Nanao-chan."

The resulting silence caused him to turn his head and he looked up to find her glaring at him as if she wanted to shoot a hole through his head with her eyes. "Captain… I am trying to _read."_

That, basically, meant 'shut-up'. He smiled at her. "You should come over here and appreciate nature with me. You can read tomorrow."

"I can read tonight," she corrected. "If someone would stop talking to me. We will be fighting tomorrow and at this rate I will not be ready."

"You will be fine," he insisted. "Come over here."

She looked torn, perhaps unsure if it was a direct order and whether or not she could disobey it.

"I won't let anything happen to you," he reassured her. Nanao didn't want reassurance and he knew that. Just as he knew she didn't want him to coddle her in battle. She was the heroine just like in the _Princess & the Sword_.

Snapping her book closed violently she sat it on the ground, clenched her jaw and stood up. He turned his head to hide his smile as she came to stand by his side looking up at the sky, clearly disgruntled. He dropped an arm over her shoulder.

"Nanao-chan, you need to relax more often. You read too much, you should _experience_ more."

"Would you like to explain how watching the stars will enrich my life or help me fight hollows?" she replied tartly.

"You know… you the older you get, Nanao-chan, the bossier you've become. Did you forget I'm your Captain?"

She kept her gaze straight ahead and crossed her arms. "I have not forgotten. I mean no disrespect." Nanao lowered her chin looking chastised.

He'd meant to tease and ended up reprimanding. "No worries, Nanao-chan. Watch the sky with me. Have you ever seen a shooting star?"

He felt her stiffen beneath his arm and knew she was fighting _not_ to snap at him. Instead, she very patiently answered him. "No, Captain, I have not."

"Well maybe you will tonight. Do you know what happens when you do?"

"You'd better not say something perverted like people kiss because if that's the case you can watch the stars with someone else."

He smiled like an idiot, his chest full of emotion. Whatever circumstances had brought her to him, he was grateful. He simply adored her. When was the last time he'd had anyone that was just so amusing?

"Now, now, Nanao-chan, I don't think you're old enough to give your Captain kisses," he answered her as if it had been her suggestion. "When you see one, you make a wish. If you can complete the wish before the star disappears, it will come true."

"Highly unlikely," she answered and he laughed. She didn't see a shooting star and they eventually sat and he eventually fell asleep. The moment he did, she returned to her book.

fin.

* * *


	8. Color

One Hundred Ways to Love

8 of 100: Color

Note: Some of these themes will connect together and some will not.

* * *

Monday morning, July 7th, Nanao arrived at the office at her standard hour. She brewed some tea, straightened the office kitchen, restocking with the few supplies she'd brought with her and then headed down the hall to her Captain's office.

Once there, she found the place was inordinately neat. On his desk was a piece of paper which she took only cursory note of until she saw it was her name written on it.

_"Nanao-chan,"_ it read and she scowled. _"The Old Man has sent me and Ukitake to do a little job and it shouldn't last more than a week. I need you to look over the office while I'm gone. _

_"Unfortunately this means I'll miss my precious Nanao-chan's birthday. So please accept the gift I've left on your desk for you. My heart aches with the thought of leaving you alone to face the wearies of the office-"she_ stopped reading as it appeared to trail off into nonsensensical poetic ramblings and instead walked to her office.

On her desk was the promised package wrapped in delicate pink cherry blossom paper. It was one of the things she admired secretly about her Captain, his attentiveness to detail. For several long moments she just stared at the package, reveling in its soft beauty. She never wrapped anything so beautiful as her Captain managed to do it.

Deciding to open the slender box before the others came in, she gently peeled away the paper and lifted the lid on a discrete white box.

It was white.

Soft, white.

Nanao lifted what had to be a garment of some kind out of the box and let it slide over her fingers.

It was _silk_.

She _loved_ silk.

Silk of any color, any style: it was Nanao's secret love. Her poor childhood had rarely allowed her the luxury of anything as beautiful or perfect as silk garments. She had first encountered the fabric in Eighth Division ages ago. Her Captain's pink kimono was silk in its entirety, from neck band to hem. It would be the boldest of lies to say she didn't love to touch it.

Now, staring at the pool of white over her fingers she wondered just when her love of silk had become apparent. Had she done something to reveal her secret fetish or was it just her Captain being himself by buying her …. She examined the item. A camisole? She peeked into the box to see a matching set of panties nestled in the tissue paper.

Underwear.

The man had bought her underwear.

The camisole in her hands was white; with lavender ribbon weaved through the delicate lace edging. The straps were thin, silky cord.

Should she be happy he'd gotten her something or offended he'd gotten her underwear? In all truthfulness, she had never owned any silk intimates. Deciding to put the matter away she returned it to the box and slid it under her desk.

* * *

Tuesday morning, in the tea cabinet, in the office kitchen she found another package. The cherry paper wrapping told of its origins. Horrified, Nanao pulled it out and shook it.

Light. Sounded like cloth.

Hurrying to her office she closed the door and inspected the box. Her name had been written in black ink on the front. Curious, she opened it, trying not to rip the delicate paper.

Silk. Identical. Camisole, panties… and pink edging.

The previous evening she'd stared at her package from the day before and agonized and grumbled and groaned over what to do with it. Could she keep it? now… now…. She had two of them!? Hurriedly, she threw it into the box and slid it beneath the desk.

Later…. It would have to wait for later.

* * *

Wednesday, Nanao was relieved that her morning was proceeding normally. She had expected, after the first two days that she'd be inundated with gifts all week. Thankfully, that didn't appear to be the case. She had prepared her tea, restocked the kitchen, straightened her office, and gone through the daily mail before the courier arrived.

The Division One Courier was a particularly prompt man. The Soul Society post was run from the Division One offices and when the courier came, mail of all types was delivered, from bills to love letters.

He handed over her daily ration of letters. Nanao was already reaching for the top envelope, noting with a groan it looked like a communication from the Finances Department. That likely meant that their budget-

"Excuse me, Vice-Captain Ise?"

She looked up to meet the steely eyes of her courier. Idly, she wondered if this was the first time he'd ever spoken to her. He was typically a very efficient man, in, out, and gone. What was his name did she know it?

"Yes?"

"I was asked to deliver this package to you this morning."

Nanao frowned as he produced another, identical package, in cherry print paper. She sighed heavily. "Oh heavens."

"Please allow me to extend my best wishes, Vice-Captain, for a happy birthday."

"Thank you," she answered, taking the box. The courier excused himself and Nanao opened the box fully expecting the contents to be the same as the last two.

Silk. Lace ruffle edge. Panties. And pale yellow ribbon.

Throwing it in the box… it went under her desk.

* * *

Thursday, Nanao felt like she spent her morning on the edge of her chair. The boxes from under her desk had been transferred to her house where she was keeping them hidden in her futon cabinet. All came and went as per usual. She had tea, she cleaned up, and she got her mail from the courier.

In fact, it was nearing lunch with such normalcy she began to try to anticipate just who the next person could. Come twelve, Nanao left the cove of her office for the kitchenette where she prepared a small, simple meal and then headed back.

She was just settling back down at her desk when she heard the commotion. "Give it to me! He told _me_ to bring it to her!"

"He did not! He asked _me!_"

Nanao listened as the two argued up the hall waiting for the loud joint third seat members of Division Thirteenth to get her doorway. They appeared a moment later, still snipping at each other. Between their hands was her cherry print package, the neat paper crumpled, the box damaged.

Kiyone met her eyes tearfully. "I'm so sorry, Vice-Captain Ise. Sentaro is being a booger!"

"I apologize profusely, Vice-Captain Ise. Kiyone is being a bigger booger!"

They continued to play tug of war with the package until Nanao stood up and approached. "May I have that?" she asked.

Immediately, in unison, they thrust the box toward her.

"From Captain Kyouraku," they stated and then glared at one another.

"Captain Kyouraku asked me, very specifically, if I would delivery it to you before lunch on Thursday. But then Sentaro started being a giant moron and we've been fighting about it the last hour and so we're very sorry the package is late."

"Vice-Captain ise I must contend with this argument… Captain Kyouraku was very specific in his request that _I_-"

Nanao held up her hands to stop. "It's quite all right. Thank you very much for taking the time out of your day to accommodate my Captain's ridiculous requests."

"No problem!" Kiyone grinned.

"Happy to help out!" Sentaro smiled.

She watched them go and was relived when they were gone. Without opening it, she relegated the package to the place beneath her desk and studiously ignored it all day. Come night fall, curiosity won over and she looked inside.

Camisole, panties, green ribbon.

* * *

Friday, Nanao skipped the office and headed for Division One. She spent two hours asking questions, filing requests, and arguing with staff trying to find out the estimated return date of her Captain. In the end, she left disgruntled and with no idea when her wayward Captain would be coming back. That, at least, would stem the halt of her pink boxes. At that point she could start hurling them at his head.

Returning to the office, she was fully prepared for another package. Her morning was routine. She got her mail, she did her paperwork. At lunch she went out and picked up her favorite noodle bowl at a nearby vendor. That was her Friday routine.

Mid-afternoon, Nanao was bored. Her week had been odd and now it was making her strangely tired. Normally he'd be staggering into the office around that time but he wouldn't be showing today. Standing, she headed down to the combat hall. Maybe there were some of her junior members there to teach.

She hadn't been down there more than an hour when one of the secretaries came over. "Vice-Captain Ise… I'm sorry to disturb you. I just wanted you to be aware that you've had a delivery. A man who said he was from the noodle shop brought by a package. I placed it on your desk."

"Oh?" Nanao asked. "Was it wrapped?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"In cherry petals paper?"

"Y-yes."

Nanao nodded.

She grabbed the box from her desk before she left. At home, she peeked inside. Camisole, panties…blue ribbon.

* * *

Saturday morning was leisurely for Nanao. She stretched like a sun warmed cat and lazily stayed in bed until just around ten. After rising, she bathed and put on something old. It was time to clean the house.

At two o'clock, she heard the first rumble in the sky. If she didn't hurry to the market soon, it would rain and many of the outdoor vendors might close-up for a while. Grabbing a coat, she quickly headed for the door, catching her sandals on the way out. Dashing out the door she caught herself by surprised when her foot landed not on her step but atop a cherry printed package. Bending down, Nanao tossed the severely bent box into her house and snapped the door closed. The box would wait, the rain would not.

When she returned home she put away her groceries and started planning dinner for herself while she brewed a pot of tea. Unable to resist the box any longer she left her kitchen to retrieve it and opened it up.

Camisole, panties, and orange ribbon.

That was six and tomorrow would be seven sets of underwear. She was all ready to put it away with the others when she noticed a curl of paper. Withdrawing the paper, she was surprised to find a note.

_"To my Nanao-chan on this beautiful Saturday. Its been six days now that I've been away from your side. Do you miss me yet? The office must've been quiet an sedate and I can imagine your boredom without me to brighten your days. No worries, my precious Nanao-chan. I shall see you tomorrow." _

Tomorrow?

Wait!

Had there been notes in all of them? She rushed her bedroom, grabbed the stack of boxes and retreated to her kitchen seat. Which one had been Monday? Carefully, she opened the box on the bottom. It should be Monday. The box was empty save for the clothing and tissue. Moving to the next box she rustled around and found one beneath the panties.

_"It is Tuesday morning, Nanao-chan and you are about to make your morning tea. Ah, how I wish I could join you just then… to curl my arms around your tiny frame and hold you against my chest and enjoy the pleasant warmth that is my little Vice-Captain. " _

Idiot. She'd have smacked with him with the cabinet doors if he'd tried that. Tossing the box on the floor, she found the next one. Who was the bigger idiot, him or sending her underwear or her for not noticing he'd put notes in all the boxes?

_"Wednesday morning brings the courier with all of Nanao's mail. It wouldn't do for everyday to be the same. Since you won't add some excitement to your life, I took the liberty of helping you out. Try them on tonight Nanao-chan instead of hiding them away in your closet. It's all silk… it was made for Nanao's skin." _

Swallowing dryly, Nanao pushed the box onto the floor and sat the note aside. Thursday's box was next.

_"Thursday now, isn't it? How long did it take the bumbling pair to deliver it? I asked it be done before lunch but I expect it wasn't. At least I hope your silk wasn't damaged in transit. Did you try it on last night, Nanao? Have you slipped it on beneath your uniform this morning to enjoy it in the office while you wait for more mail for me? I hope you did." _

Now she felt guilty. She had fully intended to throw them all in his face when he got back because it was grossly inappropriate but now she wasn't sure.

_"Little Nanao… visiting her favorite noodle shop every Friday. I've missed you, Nanao. When I come back, let's have lunch together… and maybe a nice drink afterwards. We can take the afternoon off. " _

Down to her last box, Nanao hesitated in searching for it. She did miss him, she realized. Dry swallowing she frowned. Who knew he took up so much of her life?

If she noticed how much her feet slowed after that, she certainly didn't know what to do about it.


	9. Coffee

One Hundred Ways to Love

9 of 100: Coffee

Note: Some of these themes will connect together and some will not.

* * *

Routine.

It was the backbone of her life. Her very existence was scripted: when she woke, where she purchased clothing, what she ate… everything. Ise Nanao had lived such a strict life for as long as she remembered… from the long forgotten days of wandering the Rukongai as a child in tattered clothing…

Ise Nanao was a gutter rat at heart. Had been, at least, before the Ise family had adopted her… she still wasn't sure why that eccentric man who she'd come to call "Father" at his request had ever wanted her. There were plenty of others like her in the streets, easily malleable so long as they were fed and taken care of… children, she thought, were all too easily manipulated.

Nanao's lips twisted into a scowl and there was no one in the back executive office to see it. Again, she was alone. How long had she been alone? Even in the old days with old man Ise bowing her head and following orders, fetching this and reading that… she had always been someone's lapdog. At least in Division Eight she knew the man she was serving was a good one…

"Vice-Captain Ise, I brought your coffee." The voice of the aide interrupted her thoughts and she chastised herself. How long had it been since she'd thought of "home"? The sound of the mug on the desk and the scent of the drink calmed her frayed nerves. Like a well trained dog, the aide bowed and disappeared back out the door, eyes lowered. She pressed propriety on this office the way it had been pressed on her…

All those years with Old Man Ise had ordered her very soul. She was convinced of it… watching him in the sitting room where he would have a book on his lap and a mug of coffee on his table. She had learned to make that coffee years later when the maid had been let go. Listening to his lectures on various subjects… and old man, yes… and a learned one… but very, very strict.

It was the aide's appearance some minutes previous to warn her that her mid-morning coffee would be late that had prompted the memory at all. Her Captain did not drink coffee… when he imbibed of the non-alcoholic, he preferred green tea. He said it was soothing.

Of course, she thought, he also thought the coffee was bad for her. "_Stuff like that will put hair on your chest, Nanao-chan…_" It hadn't happened yet and whenever he had the absurdity to mention it she'd tell him so… though that only opened the way for him to ask her to prove it to him, the letch.

With a sigh, she reached for the cup allowing it to warm her palms. She had already wasted too much time on memories today.


	10. Ice

One Hundred Ways to Love

10 of 100: Ice

Note: Some of these themes will connect together and some will not.

* * *

The sky was gray, Nanao noted. The previous night's snowfall had accumulated to a mere four inches but it was the ice that was proving fretful. Since she had stepped out of the office a moment ago it had become alarmingly apparent that the walkway to the street was snow over ice and very dangerous. If she didn't pay attention and walk slowly she'd surely end up on her behind and her Captain was, unfortunately, behind her and not in front of her and that would only be even more embarrassing. It was her place to be behind _him_ but he had insisted that she go along ahead of him and arguing only would've taken more time.

"This is depressing… not only did I have to get up early but it's not even sunny out," he groused behind her.

Nanao at first ignored the remark instead concentrating on her footing. He had only managed to make the first of the morning meeting due to her constant reminders for the past two weeks. She had reminded him of it at every possible opportunity. He had managed to surprise her by being on time at the office… Of course there was the possibility that he hadn't left the office from the previous night, she couldn't be sure. Either way as long as he went she wasn't sure it really mattered. And possibly… just possibly, she was giving her Captain too little credit. He rarely missed a meeting, especially important ones.

"Hey, Nanao-chan… what's your favorite season?"

Captain Kyouraku was given to asking her such idle questions. Moreover, he was given to asking them more than once. She couldn't remember how many times he'd asked her the same thing, over and over through the years. Each time her answer was the same. She wasn't sure if he was testing her to see if her answers would change or if he simply didn't remember asking in the first place. It was a rather melancholy thought to think they'd been together for so long and he couldn't remember her answers.

"Winter, Captain."

"Why?" she heard the cloth of his uniform rustle behind her and the crunch of the snow beneath their feet as they reached the street.

As they turned to head to Division One for their Annual Join Conference she wondered at her answer. Why did she like winter? Why was she forced to wonder every time he asked? She was in the minority with winter as her favorite season. Her Captain, she knew, preferred spring. It was poetically fitting for him and perhaps poetically fitting for her, the cold Vice-Captain of Eight.

The trip itself was a short one. Only a few blocks separated them from Division One and unlike some of their colleagues, Nanao was not directionally challenged and knew the way very well, even with her landmarks covered in glistening white. She had walked this path too many times to have forgotten it.

But the question of her Captain remained unanswered. Why did she like winter? Because it was cold? She did like the cold, the way it froze ones fingers, toes, and nose so quickly… the sting of a cool wind against ones cheek… the additional warmth provided by her coffee mug in the office… the comfortable weight of her favorite blanket over her shoulders at home… she suddenly knew the answer and knew at once she could not say it aloud.

Winter was a season for cuddling.

He'd like that answer, she thought, though she dared not give it to him.

"Good morning, Shunsui!"

Nanao looked up to see Captain Ukitake on the front steps. He was smiling. Did he like winter also?

"Good morning, Vice-Captain Ise. Beautiful morning isn't it?"

His enthusiasm warmed her for reasons she couldn't quite name and she found herself half smiling in return. It was a beautiful morning really. Now that they were there and on-time.

"It is lovely today," she agreed. "Good morning to you also, Captain."

The unexpected weight of her captain's arm across her shoulder startled the smile from her face. He leaned down smiling gently at her. "Maybe one day, Nanao-chan will tell me why she likes winter."

She thought maybe she caught a sad glint in his eye, perhaps caused by her unwillingness to share. Just as quickly, however, he straightened and was up standing beside his friend, his warmth drawn away from her. Maybe she had imagined this whole thing. With a sigh she found herself following them in, trading the icy front steps for the warmed halls of Division One.

Maybe next year she would have the courage to tell her Captain why she liked winter, but she doubted it.


	11. Mark

One Hundred Ways to Love

11 of 100:Mark

* * *

Drunkenness.

It was what happened when one imbibed too much alcohol. For some people it was a state of being, a height to be climbed, a state to be experienced as often as possible... One of those illustrious beings was her Captain, Kyouraku Shunsui. He'd been that way as long as she'd known him, a man attached at the hip to a bottle for well over two centuries. He wasn't an abusive drunk, or a mean drunk, on the contrary, he was a fun drunk. Everyone liked to party with Kyouraku Shunsui. He was friendly and inclusive and he made one feel good about life.

She'd fallen victim to that personality, to the desire to be included... to be the girl under his arm. Long ago she'd decided to stop lying to herself about what she wanted. The prim girl that she forced herself to be was what she'd always be. There was no changing that no matter how she occasionally longed to be someone else. Ise Nanao, despite her popular, strict image had come face to face with drunkenness in herself in a brief, fumbling attempt to be someone other than who she was.

More than once even.

Far from immune, she considered herself to be more at risk than anyone else because of her constant exposure and lacking home life. He did, sometimes, wear her down and coax her out drinking. She'd done it in the past and she'd likely do it again in the future she was sure but... only once had she done anything that embarrassed her so severely.

Even now the memory of the evening itself was hazy but there had been a sturdier reminder painted elsewhere. It was the kind of memory that didn't fade much with time, and for all intensive purposes, was as permanent as few other things. Once, on the bare edge of sobriety, curled up alone in her quarters at the division in the darkest hours of night she'd laughed to herself when she coined the expression, "tattooed on the soul". It was one of those rare nights that she'd drank by herself, with no prompting from anyone else.

It had been funny then when she was a little tipsy. The thought, the sight had tickled her like nothing else. That night she'd drank alone with a stupid grin on her face, her heart light with happiness. She'd been happier then, alone and drunk, than she was most nights.

It had been much funnier in the night then it had been in the morning and found that the ink on her back _hadn't_ been a cute little dream. It was real, and it was dark, and it was permanent and for heavens sake, why had it been him? Her happiness, her laughter, and private smiles had faded, curled into grimaces... fear crept into her belly, laying there heavily, weighing her down like stones piled high in her gut.

She'd stared into the reflection, in front of two mirrors just to see it... It had been an accident she'd seen it at all, a bare stroke of luck. Her heart had pounded painfully in her chest, her breath lodged somewhere tight in her throat.

"Kyouraku Shunsui", tattooed between her shoulders, vertically down center of her back, the name corded in with vines and ostentatious pink flowers. It was obscene. Perhaps she should consider herself lucky that she had not had his face put on her body. Worse, when she thought about it, was that some tattoo artist in the bowels of the Rukongai _knew_ she had this tattoo and she didn't know who or what he looked like.

She scowled at herself and she scowled the same way every time she saw that ugly mark on her body. The only positive thing about it was she had the good sense to put it on a part of her body he never saw. Not once had her Captain ever been exposed to her bare back and she aimed to keep it that way.

Being out of sight and in a "safe" spot, it was usually safely out of mind.

* * *

If anyone was awake at dawn, it was Ise Nanao, Matsumoto thought deviously as she changed directions suddenly. Her Captain had threatened her the previous night about being on guard duty for a month if she was late for the 10th Division meeting and she'd had to forgo her night of drinking. She frowned. They'd even gone to the _good_ bars last night.

She could swing by Nanao's place and pick up an extra white sash. Unable to resist a least a little partying she'd headed with them to their first bar stop, gotten involved in a card game and managed to lose her sash, much to the enjoyment of the rest of the party when she'd accidentally flashed them whilst removing it. And while she was good at organizing her closet she hadn't done laundry yet and things were everywhere and there wasn't a sash to be found _anywhere._

As she was, she had her pink scarf about her waist and it wasn't doing the job. While it was tempting to show up at the meeting dressed as she was, her Captain had been having a poor week and she ought to take an ounce of pity on him. She grinned, and herself, of course. There was no use tempting fate when a month of all night guard-duty was on the line, no, no.

Thrilled with her plan she almost ran to Nanao's, tossing open her front door and inviting herself on in. The Eighth Vice Captain lived in a tiny villa with traditional tatami floors and very little else save for the shelves upon which she had several collections of books. There was probably some vintage tea set in the kitchen too.

Despite being stiff and formal, Ise Nanao was a solidly dependable person. It was unlikely she'd be as fond of her if she didn't have the persuasive favor of Captain Kyouraku. She'd given the matter serious thought. She and Ise had hardly anything in common, the only acquaintances they shared were other officers and lastly, Ise Nanao _did not_ drink. At least, not with _her._ The only person who had convinced her to imbibe had been the Captain.

Inside the small house she managed to catch the sound of water running and headed for the bathroom, pushing open the door without compunction. "Nanaochan," Matsumoto sang cheerily, barging in and leaning on the doorframe. "Do you have a uniform sash I could borrow? I lost mine and if I'm late he's gonna make me stay on night-duty for a month!"

The tiny bathroom was as traditional as the rest of the house and she found the Vice Captain of Eight sitting on a bath stool, her hair limply around her shoulders, all soaped up. Her hair fell over her shoulders but not nearly far enough… black, black ink was carved into the pale skin on Nanao-chan's back … kanji… down … Matsumoto caught her breath in her throat as she read the name of Nanao's Captain.

Nanao shot to her feet and spun around so fast she almost fell on the soapy tile looking red faced and agitated. "Don't just barge into people's bathrooms!"

"So can I borrow one?" Matsumoto asked, pasting a smile on her face as she tried to pretend she hadn't just seen what she had. Her glance at it had been brief but it was big and clearly inked on her skin. Oh, _naughty girl…_ Matsumoto thought.

"Take it and get out of my bathroom!" Nanao squawked her arms over her chest modestly.

Matsumoto pretended offense. It was easier than lying. "It's not like I haven't seen them before you know," she grumbled. "I have a pair too. Shall I show you mine? Then we'll be equal!"

Matsumoto started to pull open her uniform and Nanao balked, outraged.

"Get out already!" Nanao yelled.

She was only teasing, she started to say, but taking one look at the woman's face she backed up the doorway with a frown. "You're just no fun, Nanao-chan. If I wasn't late I'd offer to wash your back for you." She gave her a cheeky grin and disappeared from the doorway only to appear a moment later. "Thanks a bunch!"

With sash firmly about her waist, Matsumoto draped her scarf around her shoulders. New, tempting knowledge burned in her belly... and despite the longing she had to run straight to Captain Kyouraku, the threat of guard duty still loomed. She headed for her meeting.

* * *

He was half sloshed when she got there. Or maybe he was just his usual self, it was difficult to tell with just a glance. Sobriety was mostly reserved for his Nanao-chan... Matsumoto waltzed in and sashayed up to his table with a huge grin. The group had barely gotten out a round of greetings to her when she slid her arms around Captain Kyouraku's neck and whispered saucily in his ear.

"_I've got a secret!" _

If Matsumoto was concerned that half their table of drinking buddies consisted of seated officers she didn't show it and neither did he. Directly across from them, Captain Ukitake watched as eagerly as did the rest of the men.

"Oh?" Kyouraku inquired, cocking an eyebrow at her. "Shall we drink to your secret?" he grinned.

"Actually..." she straightened. "It's not my secret, but I'm willing it to sell it to you." She took a seat beside him at the table casually, reaching for a glass, the Captain reached to pour for her. "Question is, how much is it worth to you?"

"Is Shunsui the only viable buyer?" Ukitake asked from across the way.

Matsumoto smiled. "You can bid," she offered. "But since it's Nanao-chan's secret... and it's a good one..." she glanced at the Captain and he met her look with a curious one of his own. "… he might not want anyone else to have it."

"Hmmm?" Kyouraku drawled lowly. "What kind of secret?"

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "Its a saucy one!" Her grin was contagious and soon it spread to the other members of their table as they each conjured naughty thoughts about the Vice-Captain.

"_Is it a fetish?" _

"_Or a secret boyfriend?" _

"_That giant book she carries around is a book of erotica!" _

Kyouraku glanced at the last man with a frown. "It isn't. I checked."

The table erupted into laughter at the remark but Matsumoto was still grinning. "So, any offers?"

Ukitake sat down his cup thoughtfully. "I offer one bottle of sake."

Hisagi eyed the two Captains. "I'm curious, I'll offer two."

"Only two?" Matsumoto pouted for a moment and then grinned reaching into her cleavage. The men watched. She withdrew a deck of cards with a salacious smile. "How 'bout we make it a little more interesting?"

One card game turned into five and five into eighteen. It was cresting dawn when Kyouraku finally called it all off and in that time they had managed to rack up more than half a dozen empty liquor bottles and lost half the population of the table. He was left with himself, Ukitake, and a couple of his own Eight members when he folded the game for the night. Matsumoto pouted, but Ukitake looked somewhat relieved. With a curt nod, he dismissed his junior members and was left alone with the fellow Captain and Vice-Captain.

"What about Nanao-chan?" Shunsui asked lazily.

Matsumoto giggled girlishly, totally smashed. "Nanao-chan made her body a shrine."

The two men exchanged curious glances. "What kind of shrine?"

"Her naked back is a big secret… in black and pink," Matsumoto shook her head and stood on wobbly legs. "That's all I'm going to say. If you want to see it, better get your Nanao-chan naked."

She started toward the door but Ukitake grabbed her wrist. "Pardon me, but how did _you_ see her naked?"

"Easy," she flipped her hair over one shoulder. "I barged in her this morning when she was bathing. But she was pissy about it so you might not want to use that route."

* * *

The woman's remarks haunted his dreams when he slept. He had strange fanciful visions of Nanao as a shrine… a shrine to paperwork, to duty, to Soul Society? A shrine to what, he wondered. He pictured Nanao's with wings, in a field of butterflies, haunting a temple with a giant paper fan to smack intruders…

"Well, I suppose it could be a riddle of sorts," Ukitake theorized. "Although Matsumoto isn't known for being so subtle. Could your Vice-Captain have truly taken up a religious calling?"

"Nah," Kyouraku shook his head lazily. "She doesn't have time for that kind of dedication."

He'd even, in the intervening time, undertaken several measures to procure answers. He'd doused himself in liquor and shown up on her doorstep pleading for a bath that he'd naturally tried to include her in. He'd tried damaging her uniform with his sword in impromptu training sessions, albeit very, very gently… which only proved a failure as his attempts not to hurt her gave her an advantage and him a bevy of bruises. There was also his attempt at setting her sleeve on fire. That little effort had cost the office a stack of papers and restocking and late fees, or that was the jist of the lecture he'd gotten from Nanao-chan about why he couldn't have candles on her desk.

"Well… have you had any luck with your latest attempt?"

Kyoraku scowled for a moment and then frowned. "No. I was told that she had no time to visit the hot springs and I wasn't feeling up to kidnapping her. Even if I did there's no guarantee I could get her clothes off, I'm not going to hurt her."

There was the rather blunt option of seduction which, time and again, he'd refused to do. Seducing his Nanao-chan to learn about a secret was lowly. She had been in his care since her childhood, to use her in such a way would be cruel and so he'd since avoided doing so.

Mirroring his thoughts, his friend offered another route. "Have you tried charming her?"

"Can't." He rubbed his forehead. "She's too serious for that."

Ukitake nodded understanding. "I thought you might think that. What about getting her drunk? If I recall, when particularly drunk Ise-san likes to sing on tabletops."

The memory of Nanao dancing on his table for him and Ukitake brought a smile to his face. That had been positive ages ago… ten, twenty, thirty years ago? She had been so young then.

"It takes forever to convince her to drink," Kyouraku sighed and closed his eyes.

"Maybe you should just ask her then."

* * *

"Do you need to go home?"

Her voice surprised him. He'd been thinking of a new way to get Nanao undressed when she spoke. Ukitake's suggestion of asking her was getting more and more appealing by the moment. Apparently she'd been watching him.

"Hmm?" he cocked a brow at her. "You're offering to let me go early?"

"You look very tired; are you unwell?" she inquired, her brush hand still, her eyes steady on his face. "You've looked increasingly worse all week."

He sighed heavily and leaned back resting his broad shoulders against the wall. "Ah, Nanao-chan, I have a problem."

"Can I assist you in some way, Captain?"

He wondered if she threw in "Captain" so often to remind him that they had a professional relationship only. Especially as she so detested him calling her "Nanao-chan".

Shunsui lifted his heavy eyes and rested them on her delicate face. "Get naked for me."

For a long moment she just stared at him as if still awaiting him to speak. Her steely eyes were assessing… calculating… what did she think of his impromptu request? He'd never tried so direct a method before…

"Is that what you've been trying to do?" she asked crisply. There was a certain sharpness to her tone but little else. Her expression was only slightly short of neutral, the tilt of her eyebrows gave her an assessing look.

"Trying to do?" he asked, playing dumb.

"These last couple of days… you've been behaving strangely. I've asked around, your oddities seemed to be contained to me for some reason I hadn't worked out yet."

Nanao was still looking at him as if trying to figure him out.

"How do you feel about secrets, Nanao-chan?" he murmured.

"I think they should be kept confidential."

"Do you know what I think?"

"No, Sir, I do not." Her tone had lost its edge. Was she curious?

"I think secrets should be shared. I think they're _made_ to be shared," he answered crawling, leisurely, to his feet.

The curious look in Nanao's eyes faded under a new, weary watchfulness. A short side trip took him to the door and he took a long moment to slide it closed. He hadn't intended to seduce her, why did it feel like he was? Heat curled in his belly as the wooden panels of the office door met and he started toward her desk. She dry swallowed.

"What does that have to do-"she started and trailed off, abruptly, as he came up behind her, curling down onto his knees.

He could almost hear her heart pounding in her chest; she was a tiny little rabbit about to swallowed whole. Reaching for her his big palms found her hips and he pulled her into his chest, his mouth, his breath fanning against her ear. "Nanao," he breathed. "You're bearing a secret and I want it."

She trembled in his arms. "C-Captain, I do not think-"

"Don't think, just give me what I want," he murmured thickly. He couldn't keep his hands still, had she always had the ability to make him this hot? He felt flushed.

The uniform, which he thought was rather stiff, felt soft against her body. Her flat belly begged for his hands, the curve of her sides… he longed to slide up higher and didn't dare do it so he caressed her in places that she couldn't consider directly improper.

"Tell me what you want and I'll tell you if you can have it," she answered with more strength in her tone than her quivering body suggested she had left. She was all female weakness in his arms, poured against his chest…

"Show me your secret… bear your shrine to my eyes…"

They were the magic words. Immediately, Nanao-chan's 'on' switch, turned 'off'. She tensed in his arms like a board. Unexpectedly, she slammed her fist against the desk. "I knew she was going to tell you!"

He leaned forward and allowed his chin to rest on one of her dainty shoulders. Beneath him, she was still tense; he could see her jaw was squared. "What did you do?" he whispered.

"Nothing," she snapped. "A stupid mistake made years and years ago, which was probably your fault in the first place!"

Nanao probably didn't expect his laughter, but he couldn't hold it in. He rumbled against her back, his hands curling around her belly. "And what did I do?" he sounded pleased with himself, which would no doubt only increase her annoyance.

"Pestering me to go drinking all the time. Drinking, Captain, is bad for you and I do not like to do it. After I made this little mistake, I stopped listening to your bullying. In fact, Captain-"

He knew the tell-tales clues of an oncoming lecture better than anyone and drew away from her. "All right Nanao-chan." He sighed. "Keep your secret."

Escaping from her office he headed toward the front door. She could keep her secret for now… it was very unlikely she could keep it forever.


	12. Image

One Hundred Ways to Love

12 of 100: Image

* * *

Nanao stared at the photo with something of a scowl. "Shinigami Men's Association Quarterly," Summer Edition was what her Captain would call a glossy "masterpiece". She wasn't sure how the group had managed to talk her Captain into posing for the cover and wasn't sure she should ask. Wouldn't it have been more appropriate to have a woman pose on the cover?

Instead, Captain Kyouraku graced the cover, grinning, with print swirled around his head. "Top Ten Flirting Tips", was one corner and "Newest Craze: How Chappy Can Get you Laid". That group was a menace, she thought, tossing the magazine aside.

"Nanao-chan… my hard work!"

She didn't even acknowledge him as he picked up the magazine and smoothed it with his fingers. His pink kimono, just draped over his shoulders, was dangerously close to falling off.

"Fine picture isn't it?" he asked, examining it.

She shot him a scowl. "Have you lost your mind?"

"You don't like the picture?" he raised a brow. Sometimes, she thought, he just couldn't be serious.

"I'm surprised you don't have a half naked woman on the cover," she quipped, reaching for a folder on the corner of her desk. That scintillating issue wasn't worth the effort of opening.

"We're promoting men, Nanao-chan. Your group promotes women."

She didn't think it would help her case that her President regularly stalked Soul Society taking pictures of the male higher ups. The fewer clothes in the photo the more praise the photographer got. And she certainly didn't want to think about the Men's Association doing anything as classless as that to the women.

"There's not even any headlines about drinking. 'How to Avoid Hangovers', or 'What Your Liquor Choice Says About You'." It had been little more than an off the wall remark, in jest really. The silence that followed, however, was foreboding.

"The Men's Association isn't about drinking." His voice was sedate and she knew without even looking that her comment had been a mistake.

"No, Sir… Apparently it's about picking up women," she answered him sourly.

"Picking up women and drinking?"

Nanao raised her head defiantly in response to his defensive tone. "You know very wel what I think of that group," she answered him testily.

"What good has the Women's Association done lately except promote that ridiculous bunny? I've heard about sneaking into the Kuchiki mansion and having dirty photo shoots. What room do you have to preach, Nanao-chan?" There was a teasing lilt to his voice but it was slight.

"Please allow me this opportunity to remind you that I am not in charge of the Shinigami Women's Association and our various enterprises are usually headed by our President." Pressing her glasses up her nose primly, she continued. "Furthermore, the Women's Association has contributed greatly to the advancement of our female members including more scholarships at the Academy, places amongst the staff there, and more appointments to the chairs in Central 46."

"There's no proof that you've done any of that though it's cute you take credit for it." He was grinning at her in that disgustingly superior way. It was the same look he always gave her when he thought he was winning an argument.

With a huff she turned her head back down to her work. She _couldn't_ prove any of those claims, after all. "Don't you have something to be doing somewhere?"

"Of course, Nanao-chan," the Captain agreed cheerfully. "I'm going to sign autographs." With that cheerful comment, he snatched her pen, scribbled on the front of his magazine. When he returned the pen, he handed her the magazine with it. "The first copy is for you."

Tempted to toss it into her wastebasket, she forced a tight smile instead. "Thank you, Captain. That's very thoughtful."

Watching him leave, Nanao sighed, pulled out a low box behind her and tossed the magazine. The magazine joined other Kyouraku works, poem scraps, song snippets and amateur sculpture.


	13. Kiss

One Hundred Ways to Love

13 of 100: Kiss

* * *

He was kissing her fingers. Nanao wondered if she should stop him. After all, she didn't want this man to kiss her fingers. He wasn't the person she dreamed of; this person was a stranger. Whispers of nothing had passed her ears all night long. She wasn't quite sure why she hadn't told him to get lost yet. She wasn't even sure why she'd left her house to come out to this nowhere place. How long had it been since she'd been in the Rukongai alone?

In a bar?

She scoffed softly to herself. Alone in a bar being seduced by a stranger… she was even out of uniform. One drink had been ordered, she wasn't even near drunk. Sobriety clung to her the way her modesty did.

Her admirer was now complementing her eyes. Or was it her fingers he was talking about? She had trouble following his rambling compliments. He raised her hand to his mouth and began kissing her wrist on the inside. His lips were wet, chapped, and the faint scent of alcohol clung to his person. Or maybe it was the bar the scent clung to.

Again, she wondered what she was doing here. Nothing particularly dramatic had happened. She hadn't been injured, no one had died, nothing had happened. Nothing at all… and maybe that was the problem.

It was the same today as it had been every other day for almost one hundred and fifty years. That was a long, long time. Nanao was weary, but she was becoming increasingly aware that the answer wasn't sitting beside her kissing on her arm. What, she wondered, would be the most effective way to get rid of him?

Certainly she could tell him off, but she wasn't sure she wanted to draw too much attention to herself. Maybe if she excused herself to the bathroom and took the back exit she knew existed in the hall. There was always the simplest option: tell him to get lost. That didn't always work.

She could go home with him, she supposed. Pretend she was drunk, have a night of probably boring, pointless sex and sneak away in the morning. The thought made her stomach feel sour. How many nights had she ever had like that? None. Other people did it all the time, she supposed… well, if one listened to office gossip. There was so much conjecture on who the best lover was and who to avoid and what places to go to.

It had all culminated in her being depressed.

And lonely.

Thus this girl's night out… alone.

What had possessed her to think this a good idea? Why even bother outside the gates? She knew why, really. She hadn't wanted to run across anyone who knew her. Or worse, perhaps, to get involved with an academy student or a recent graduate. Not illicit but certainly embarrassing for a female. Especially her.

His tongue flicked along her finger before he took her fingertip into his mouth. Nanao cringed and snatched her hand away. "Stop."

"Huh?" the man's sleepy expression cleared a bit.

"Please don't do that anymore. In fact, you should probably find someone else; I'm not much for company tonight." Tossing money onto the counter, the exact price of the drink, minus a tip for her lousy bar tender, Nanao headed for the bathroom in the back but instead of ducking inside, she headed out the back door. Too much of one place tonight.

Pressing into the night crowds she headed for the main gate that would take her back to her residence. She suddenly had the pressing need to wash away a stranger's kisses and reclaim her skin as her own. She had been hoping to find absolution from her loneliness and instead she'd only increased the feeling of isolation. Everyone had someone or knew someone and she was painfully unaccompanied tonight. Every night. How it had ended up his way? Or, was it that it had always been this way? She feared all too well that it was the latter.

Traffic near the gateway thinned and she became aware of a heavy set of footsteps behind her. Her pace remained stead, her head forward. "I do not require a babysitter, Captain."

"Is that what I am?" he drawled slowly, still following.

Nanao didn't want to see him, not tonight of all nights. Especially not with a stranger's kisses tainting her body. She felt corrupt. She needed a bath. Quite suddenly she was sure that leaving had been in her best interest tonight.

The gatekeeper bowed, more to her Captain than to her, she noted with a frown. She said nothing and headed on. The bustle of the Rukongai faded into the distance as she traversed the high walled city toward her villa. It was tiresome and routine and she didn't want routine, but that was all she was going to have tonight. There was still time for tea and maybe if she had some extra ingredients she could bake. She hadn't baked anything in quite some time. With a plan in mind, she felt a little lighter.

Arriving on her front steps she was reminded that her Captain was still with her. She turned to ask but he just pushed open her door and gently, but insistently, pushed her though. "Come in; come in, Nanao-chan." His tone was friendly but something about his demeanor was off.

It had been her intention to clean up and bake but it looked as though her plans were going to be altered as he curled his fingers around her slender wrist and began tugging her down the hallway of her own house.

The tap was turned on before she could open her mouth and her arm thrust beneath the spray. The shock of cold water startled her but she dared not say a word as he reached for a nearby bottle of freesia soap. In silence she watched him tip the jar and the purple gel dissolved into white lather in his large hands. Her fingers curled listlessly on the edge of the sink, her sleeve soaked through, she made no move to tug it out of the way as he circled her arm with both hands. His slick palms caressed her forearms, his fingertips soothing away the saliva another man left on her skin. He gently scrubbed her wrist; he soothed her palm with gentle swirls of his fingers and teased her fingertips. She didn't want the caresses of a stranger.

Nanao wanted… her lips parted; a breath escaped her mouth, a phantom whisper into the bathroom as he pulled her hand under the water, washing away the lather. Her expedition into the Rukongai hadn't been meant for witnesses. It had been private. Was he following her? Dare she chastise? She couldn't seem to open her mouth.

A warm towel to her arm seemed to be drawing an end to their interlude. He might say something, he might not, but he was very likely to leave her. Why had he followed? Dare she ask? Had it been coincidence? He was in uniform, she was not. Her simple kimono was a dingy blue, hardly the fanciest thing she owned. One didn't go into the Rukongai looking out of place if they didn't want trouble. Maybe he would make a remark and they would part ways and tomorrow this never would've happened.

A limp sigh escaped her. She missed the sharp look he gave her but she didn't miss it, couldn't, when he pulled her closer to the sink in front of him turning her abruptly to face him.

"You shouldn't be out with strange men."

No "Nanao-chan" attached, she noted, as she gathered her thoughts. "I'm allowed to go out."

"Are you?" he leaned, his back bent, his fingers found her jaw tilting her head to one side, his breath fanned against her neck as her heart thudded heavy in her chest. Her breath quickened. He pressed one kiss to the hammering pulse in her neck and she flushed with heat beneath him. "Are you?" he whispered against her skin. "That tells me you aren't, Nanao."

Fatigue hung on her frame heavier than her clothing; she let her head fall back without argument and he took the invitation pressing another kiss to her neck. Her heartbeat fluttered beneath his lips and her heavy eyes flickered open. When had she closed them? Their eyes met and lines they weren't ready to cross became all too apparent as they shared a breath.

"Let's have a drink," he suggested.

"I don't have any alcohol."

"No worries, Nanao-chan. I brought my own." His grin disarmed her and the mood lightened as she pushed him away from her. "Come on, we can read and drink."

"People don't do that kind of thing," she answered as she followed him out of the bathroom.

"We can do it. It'll be fun. We haven't read together in a long time."

"We haven't read a book together since I outgrew sitting in your lap," she corrected, realizing only too late what had come out of her mouth.

They were halfway to her living room, in the dimness of her hall when he stopped. One arm around her waist dragging her against his body, his mouth against her ear. Heat coiled in her belly… "Nanao-chan is never too big to sit in my lap." The kiss to the shell of her ear was heady and she blushed as he pulled away from her. "Come on, Nanao-chan. Get me drunk and have your way with me."

He was grinning ear to ear at her and she rolled her eyes waiting until he turned away to fan her face with her hand.

Idiot man.


	14. Secret

One Hundred Ways to Love

14 of 100: Secret

* * *

Jyuushiro Ukitake glanced at the clock once more. He was certain they had decided upon two o'clock to meet that afternoon and yet his friend had yet to arrive. Just as he was contemplating sending a messenger over to Eighth Division, he heard the light knock upon the door frame and Kyouraku's voice.

"I'm coming in."

Jyuushiro smiled pleasantly up at his long-time friend, the expression fading as he saw the crease on Shunsui's forehead and something of a weight on his shoulders reflected in his heavy demeanor. "Is something the matter?"

There was a sheaf of papers clasped in one fist which Shunsui casually tossed onto the tabletop as he took a seat. "Have a look at that."

The paper, with its tight script and clean margins reminded him immediately of Ise Nanao. It was the headline of the paper that caught his eye. "Request to challenge for Vice-Captain?" he queried, reading it aloud. "Since when does a challenge require written consent?"

Shunsui reached for Jyuushiro's flowered tea set looking like he wished for something ten times stronger. "Since Nanao became Vice-Captain," he answered.

The white-haired man raised a brow as the steam from the teapot drifted between them. "You allowed her to change procedures? I realize that she likes everything orderly but-"

"She didn't do it," Shunsui interrupted raising his cup to his lips. "I did." Shunsui had always preferred green tea when alcohol was unavailable.

The silence that fell over the table was telling. It had become something of an open secret within Eight that the Captain discouraged challenges to Nanao. The laws of the Gotei-13 didn't permit his quiet favoritism but so long as the work got done Division One had not acted upon it and as far as anyone knew there had been no complaints.

"You changed the procedures of Eight to protect Ise-san?" Jyuushiro carefully inquired, his quick eyes skimming the paper. "Does she know that?"

"I did it before she was promoted. I don't think she's aware I did it because of her but she may know that other Divisions do not operate that way. I suspected she would succeed," he trailed off setting his cup aside. The tiny cups that Jyuushiro preferred warmed only the center of his palms.

"You suspected or you planned?" Jyuushiro asked. His memories of Nanao's promotion had mostly faded.

Shunsui gave him a casual shrug but the satisfied grin made him pause and Jyuushiro sighed. "So what are you going to do about this?" he held up the papers.

Shunsui gave another shrug. "I can delay it on technicalities but eventually I'll have to let him try."

"Are you worried Ise-san will fail?"

"Not that she will fail exactly but that the challenger may succeed," he mused his troubled eyes drifting toward the doorway where the koi pond extended beyond the doors. "Under my command, Eighth isn't the place you want to go to become a hero, but every once in a while you get them anyway."

Jyuushiro nodded. "I see. Does she know about any of this?"

Shunsui's quiet nod was momentous. If she found out…

"And what will you do?"

"Decline the challenge for now. After that, I'm not sure yet."

Jyuushiro replaced the papers on the table in front of them and sighed.


	15. Emotion

One Hundred Ways to Love

15 of 100: Emotion

* * *

"What's the matter with you?"

Captain Kyouraku didn't know how to answer that. He knew he'd been odd with her all day, back and forth on how he should behave and if he should even be letting some moron's comment alter his daily life. He'd started by giving her orders to take out the troop one combat force for practice, something Nanao normally didn't do and certainly not what she did at the start of the day. Looking startled, she had obeyed his orders. It had only gotten worse from there.

"Someone said something last night that got my attention," he answered at length sitting down by the wall. He propped up one knee and slid his pink kimono over his legs curling himself under it for warmth. There was a definite chill in the office today. If there was a physical chill in the office or if it was in response to his altered relationship with Nanao, he wasn't sure, but he didn't like it at all.

"Is it something private that you cannot discuss?"

Nanao stood not too far away looking her normal self: composed and neat. That's the woman she was really, studious and commanding. He considered the question while he studied her. Her glasses were perched on her nose, her expression carefully neutral.

How long had he known her? Since she was a little girl, quite literally… so why was this whole situation even bothering him? Was it an offense to his manhood? What did he care what some drunk thought about him and his Vice-Captain and better yet, why hadn't he broken the idiot's jaw for talking to him like that? Admittedly, though, he'd been a little more drunk than usual last night.

"What am I to you?" he finally asked. It hadn't been what he wanted to say but what did it matter? Nothing today was going the way it ought to.

"You're my Captain," she answered readily. "Is the nature of our relationship under review?"

"Yes. Not officially or unofficially. Is that what I am? Your superior officer?"

Her expression flickered, Nanao's eyes revealed unease, maybe it was fear. "Have I done something inappropriate?"

The Captain didn't answer. "Is that all I am? Am I a man to you?"

The uneasy expression in Nanao's face spread to her mouth, which turned down, and her eyebrows which creased. Even the way she stood changed, she shifted her weight onto one foot and crossed her arms defensively. "You're a man," she acknowledged. "I cannot deny that."

He smiled gently. "I know you know I'm a man, Nanao. Am I sexual object to you?"

Was it a stretch of his imagination to call the look on her face panic? Again, the conversation was escaping him. He'd wanted to ask her about men and her thoughts of them, not her thoughts of him in particular. Now the question was out of his mouth and she looked ready to hop out the window.

"I fail to understand," she finally answered. "What I have done to warrant such questioning." Her steely eyes darted from him to her office, inspecting it. No doubt she was second guessing everything and he wasn't even stopping her. He sighed softly.

"Is our relationship in any way inappropriate?" That was more along the lines he wanted but still out there, still reaching for something that wasn't the main point.

"Yes," she answered and he was positive her expression softened. It was a look he rarely saw on her face. "There are a number of things about our relationship that are inappropriate."

Kyouraku smiled. Good. Better than good, that was excellent. He loved that answer. He'd have to memorize her saying that and the look on her face so he could remember that always. Inappropriate relationship with Nanao-chan…

"I accidentally took my to-do list to the bar last night. The one you stuffed into my hands when I came to work yesterday."

He doubted she needed the explanation. She'd gone over every point on the list with him even if he hadn't paid too much attention to it. Eventually everything on it would get done whether he wanted to or not.

"All right."

"And some jackass said I was whipped."

Nanao's brow furrowed.

"Haven't you heard that expression before? Nanao-chan, you need to get out more," he chided.

"I've heard it before," she bristled, her cheeks coloring. She tightened the grip of her hands on her own arms and scowled. "So you get insulted and you take it out on me?"

Belatedly, he wondered if she'd gotten injured at all during combat practice. Though she was his Vice-Captain he didn't like her out playing with the men in the field, no matter how sexist she called him. She was tiny and delicate and he wanted to protect her. He'd protected her as long as she'd been with him; it felt like the right thing to do.

Nanao wasn't a woman made for combat. He'd tell her she was a woman made for loving a man but she'd only blush, sputter, and then hurl insults at him. That was just the way they were, wasn't it? He'd pick on her and she'd snap at him. He wanted to say he hadn't taken it out on her but really, in consideration, he probably had and no amount of regret would change that.

"What you should've done was punched him in the face."

In her wisdom, she was probably right. He should've just decked the guy no matter how drunk he was. After all, he did manage to stumble home last night, he probably could've done it.

"Unless, of course, you think its true."

Nanao's additional comment caused him pause and he looked up. The uncertainly had returned to her but her attention was beyond him.

"If my behavior as Vice-Captain is reflecting badly on Eighth and on you, it may simply be best for me to step down."

"That's a bold move," he murmured.

Her eyes returned to his and there was deep melancholy etched on her face. "I've known you for so long, I'm not sure I can treat you any other way."

It warmed him, that comment.

"I can continue my work from a lower post, or I can be replaced outright. I'm sure there are a number of other places that I can find a job. Division Twelve always has openings and they are not very combat heavy so I may be useful there."

"Nanao," he interrupted gently.

"Yes?" the absence of "Captain" in that sentence struck him in the chest. Was she acknowledging him as only a man just now?

"I don't want you to find another job."

They remained where they were staring at one another across empty office space.

"I don't want you to do anything different." Tossing his kimono off his lap he stood and approached her and she tilted her head back to look up as he did so. He caged the tiny woman against the desk and gave her a long look. "I'm your Captain and you're my Vice-Captain and when the day is over, we're friends."

Her mouth twisted into something of a smile and she turned her head as if he to hide it. "Is that so?"

He saw the book on the desk. A good six hundred pages and a smack to his face with that would hurt, he thought, before he figured it was worth it to chance it. Leaning down his nuzzled his cheek against hers, pleased when she flushed with warmth. "Very good friends then."

"Go," she whispered reaching up to press one hand to his chest pushing just slightly. Just enough so he knew she wanted him to move away. Slowly, he obeyed, backing away from her. Whatever he and Nanao were, he liked it. He started toward the door, a weight off his shoulders. "Captain," she called softly, temporarily halting his retreat.

He turned in her open doorway and waited noting with satisfaction the flush still tinted her cheeks.

"If you need any help defending your honor in the future, I would be more than happy to assist you, Sir."

His laughter followed him out, as did the curious gazes of his junior officers.


	16. Pet

One Hundred Ways to Love

16 of 100: Pet

* * *

"Vice-Captain Ise?"

Nanao looked up to see one of her officers in the doorway. She had momentarily retreated to the office kitchenette for some coffee. It was not customary for her to have more than one cup on most mornings but she had been distracted. "Yes?"

Behind her was Suki, one of Nanao's secretaries. "Is Captain Kyouraku away?"

"Not away on business," Nanao answered sipping her coffee. Black, with just a touch of sugar. "He's on sick leave for the weekend."

"Is he terribly ill?" the girl asked, wringing her hands. Nanao took a moment to notice the polish on her nails. It was a rosy pink color. She glanced down at her own nails, neatly curved, not manicured, not polished.

"He'll survive," Nanao answered. "He was just advised by Captain Unohana to take a few days off and of course he danced his way home. He'll be back Monday."

"Oh, thank you, ma'am."

Nanao nodded and slipped past her. The entire secretarial pool had a crush on the Captain. Whenever he came in during the morning hours he usually stopped by to flirt with the women there. Nanao had four secretaries and all of them were enamored with the Capain. They had probably drawn straws to see who would come up and outright ask about the Captain's absence. Really, Nanao thought, was she that unapproachable?

She'd spent half the previous night in Fourth Division with him. He'd been flushed with fever, his skin an unusual rosy color, his forehead beaded with perspiration. He would alternate between layering on his clothes and pulling them off. Nanao had watched with helpless eyes but once reassured by Captain Unohana she'd stopped worrying for the most part.

It was very unusual for the Captain to take ill, truly ill. Forcefully declining the officer to stay in Fourth Division itself, Nanao had escorted him to his home after he also declined staying at Eighth barracks Captain's quarters. She'd gone through his silly bed rituals, making his bed just so and arranging his things. By the time she'd gotten him into the bed she was ready to smack him just for getting on her nerves.

Eventually, she'd left him but she hadn't slept much. She intended to return to his house after work to check-in. Hopefully he'd be alone. Nanao had never interrupted him with a lover and she hoped never to do so. In attempting to avoid such a thing, she avoided his personal residence and his quarters after work hours. So far, it had worked just fine. Now, with him out of work, she couldn't seem to concentrate. Already she was on her fourth cup of coffee. Belatedly, she hoped no one noticed.

* * *

"Nanao-chan," his sing-song voice relieved her as he greeted her at the front door. Unfortunately, he chose to greet her bare chested and felt a flush tint her cheeks.

"Captain, you are not supposed to answer your door half naked." She tried to sound strict to counter her blush. Maybe it just felt like she was blushing but actually hadn't. It was really too much to hope for.

"And deny the world my beauty? Nanao-chan, it would be a crime. Come in, my lovely, I made you some tea."

"You were supposed to be resting," she chastised, brushing past him, stepping into the entryway where she slipped off her sandals. "Did you sleep at all?"

"All day. I feel much better really." He stretched and she immediately turned her head. Was he doing this on purpose, showing so much skin and then showing it off so brazenly or was she being over imaginative again?

"So you'll be at work tomorrow?" Nanao prompted.

"I'm not that well yet," he answered readily and she glanced back to catch a smile. "Recovery can be a lengthy process."

"Recovery had best happen by Monday," she corrected. "Where are your clothes?"

"In my bedroom, does Nanao-chan want to dress me?"

Nanao glanced back and the salacious smile slipped from his lips, he frowned at her sullenly. "I've been alone all day; I'm bored," he offered by way of explanation.

"That's what happens when you're sick. You should also be more dressed. Do you still have a fever?" approaching she reached up to press a hand to his forehead. "You're very warm."

"We're alone here, Nanao-chan, you can tell me the truth. I know I'm hot," he murmured. With that, his fingers curled around her wrist and he pulled her down the hall. "I made you tea. I knew you'd be here on time so its fresh tea… and there's someone I want you to meet."

"You have company?" she asked suddenly fearing he wasn't alone after all. Maybe she ought to leave?

Pulled into the sitting room she found a table set up with a tea service and on a cozy blue blanket was a round, breathing ball of fur.

"You have a cat?" she asked. It wasn't that much of a surprise, she thought. He really did love nature, he probably loved animals too.

"I just met this sweetheart two weeks ago. I named her Olio, isn't that adorable?" he picked up the snoozing white bundle and cuddled her against his chest. Nanao could hear the cat purring. Well, if that wasn't true love, she smiled gently at the sight of him cooing at the feline.

With him hugging the cat she went around and picked up the blanket. "Sit down."

He took one side of the little table and Nanao draped the blue blanket over his shoulders when he sat. The cat escaped under one arm, prancing away deeper into the residence into places that Nanao wasn't allowed to go. "Thank you for coming. I've been bored here alone."

"I thought you might be." Standing, she came around and sat at the opposite side. "Did you take your medicine this morning?"

"I forgot but I took it at lunch time. I really am feeling better."

"You look better," she commented. "Shall I pour you some tea?"

He gave her a half shrug and she took that as a yes. Quietly, they sipped tea for several moments in silence. His tea cups were lavender in color, she noted idly. "The secretary pool was quite concerned for you."

One of the Captain's eyebrows quirked up. "Oh, miss me, did they? Those girls don't get any appreciation for their hard work."

Nanao listened and tried not to scowl. No one worked harder than her, where was her appreciation? Instead, she said nothing. She didn't think he was trying on purpose to get on her nerves.

"Well, if you are bored and miss the company I could certainly send one of them over here tomorrow with a stack of your paperwork. Perhaps you might try getting some of it done."

"Oh no," he waved a hand. "I couldn't possibly, that's so much exertion. Don't I look just exhausted?" he fanned his face with one hand.

Since she didn't want to send him a secretary anyway, Nanao decided to change the subject. "So tell me about Olio."

"Oh, my darling? Isn't she beautiful? I found in her an alley down by one of my favorite bars. She's gotten very fat in two weeks but I've bathed her and combed her and she's turned out quite lovely."

She let him ramble on for more then fifteen minutes when she noticed the sun was plunging low and full dusk was at hand. Captain Kyouraku followed the direction of her gaze.

"You ought to go before dark," he urged.

Momentarily, she thought of arguing. She could walk the streets at night just fine, but really she knew he was a worrier so she just nodded. No need to stress him when he was already ill.

"Do you have something for dinner? Do you want me to go and get you something? How could I have forgotten that?" she asked as she stood.

"Jyuushiro said he would bring something later." The blanket was left in the sitting room as he walked her to the front door.

"I should do the dishes," she mused.

"I will do it. Nanao-chan needs to go home because she has work in the morning." Without looking she could hear the smile in his voice. The door was quiet as he pulled it open. "Take care and go straight home."

"If it's all right, I will come and check on you tomorrow night."

He gave her a nod. "Nanao-chan can come anytime she wants to."

Returning his nod she waved once goodbye and headed off already chastising herself for the things she ought to have done. Perhaps when she got home she'd made him some soup for tomorrow night. The closer to home she got, the more she liked the idea and ended up changing directions for the nearby market.


	17. Clean

One Hundred Ways to Love

17 of 100: Clean

* * *

It hadn't been her exact intention to come over and clean his house. Not really. Her intentions had been to check-up on him and make sure he was taking his medicine and staying warm. That was the plan. Nothing went to plan anymore. Either she needed a refresher on strategy and planning or she needed to get better control of the situations around her.

Oh, and feeding him. That had been part of the original plan. She'd gone to the grocer last night, agonized over the freshest vegetables, choice ingredients and then she'd stayed up cooking. She hated cooking. She'd stayed up and cooked for him and for what? For this?! To arrive to find him and Captain Ukitake of 13 sprawled in the sitting room both with dopey smiles on their faces. Both calling her "Nanao-chan" and looking ridiculous.

Drunk.

Both drunk.

Wanting to smash both of them on the head for their stupid behavior she'd instead starting taking out her anger on his dirty house. The sake bottles had spitefully been thrown in the back trashcans. They hadn't broken even though they were glass. She had been tempted to take them back out to try to smash them again but didn't dare. It would've been too embarrassing if anyone saw her going through his trash.

His kitchen counters had been rubbed spotless. As if to prove their worth, the counters glinted up at her with their sparkle. The stove had been scrubbed. The floor had been mopped and a few of the walls, namely the one at the sink and the stove had been scrubbed also.

Now, leaning against the counter facing the window by the sink that faced over the back yard she scowled as the sky darkened. Her back ached, her hands were tired, and her legs were shot. What had she been thinking? She wasn't his mother; she damn sure wasn't his cleaning lady. Why did this man drive her to the brink of insanity by doing stupid, stupid things? And why was the usually level headed Ukitake over here drinking with a SICK man when he himself was a SICK man? Were all men this stupid?

"Ah, Nanao-chan is still here. Are you hungry too?"

She didn't even turn her head. Which one of them should be kicked harder? Now, behind her the idiots were discussing food. Why didn't they just invite over a few more drinking buddies and make it a party?

She had brought him food but she was spitefully not interested in giving it to him. in fact, it was still on the counter in the bag where she'd left it. He and Ukitake milled around behind her discussing something that elicited an absurd kind of giggle between the two of them.

"Why aren't you resting?" she finally asked, turning her head to glare at him. Both men paused, stopped really, and stared at her. "You are ill."

Kyouraku reached up to scratch his temple. It didn't look like he'd brushed his hair yet. "I rested."

"You are supposed to be grown men; I keep forgetting that means you're _supposed_ to know better. I certainly expected more from_ you."_ She turned an icy glare on Ukitake who had the common sense to look chastised. "Instead, I get reminded that you're just gigantic morons."

"Nanao-"

"Don't 'Nanao-chan' me," she hissed. "And _do not_ touch me," she growled as he reached for her. "I am going home. You _will_ be at work on Monday."

With her glare firmly in place she left the two men in the kitchen. To remind him she was pissed off, she slammed the door on her way out.


	18. Cloud

One Hundred Ways to Love

18 of 100: Clouds

* * *

"Do it now!"

Nanao's voice floated up to him where he lay on the roof. It was partly cloudy and the sun was there but not full force in his face. Perfect weather for cloud watching.

"I explicitly gave orders for this to be mailed _yesterday!"_

Women were moody creatures, flitting from one fancy to another. Though, he thought, scratching his cheek, he hadn't known Nanao to flit about. That reminded him of prancing and she didn't prance either. She'd always been too serious for that kind of thing. Attempts to lighten her up had largely failed and he wasn't sure that he was sorry about that. He rather liked Nanao the way she was.

Of course, he liked her better when she wasn't yelling at him. she was still angry at him for getting drunk on Friday. Really, it hadn't been his intention sometimes things just happened. He'd tried to explain that to her but she'd thrown a book in his face. In fact, every attempt to reason with her today had met largely with failure. He wasn't sure how well known it was that Nanao was very good at holding grudges.

Above, the clouds were floating away in the wind. He spotted one that looked like a heart and another that faintly resembled a grove of trees but for the most part it looked like cotton had been tossed up into the air.

He'd come up here to get out of the way. It was a service to the office, really, though she wouldn't see it that way. He was sure she'd come stomping up and start to lecture him about work. So it surprised him when she didn't show as the noise beneath him quieted. She had given her orders and naturally they'd all marched on to obey them. Good little soldiers, he thought.

"Um, Captain, Sir?"

"Hmmm?" he drawled lazily, turning his head to one side only to regret the motion as the kanzashi pins in his hair poked at his scalp. Across the way there was a tiny head peeking just above the edge of the tile. It wasn't Nanao.

"Vice-Captain Ise left orders for us, Sir."

"Did she go somewhere?"

"Yes, Sir. She told us to tell you that she had an unscheduled Vice-Captains meeting in a half hour and that after that the Shinigami Women's Association were meeting and they she planned on being back here before nightfall… but that she could not guarantee that."

Kyouraku nodded, turned his head and prepared to do more cloud watching. It would be a great deal more enjoyable now that she wasn't downstairs raining a hell storm over the office. Of course, it would probably only mean he'd think about her more and what he could do to sneak himself out of the doghouse.

"That's not all, Sir."

Naturally, he thought. She'd probably left orders for him too.

"We were also told, Sir, that the sixteen of us who are due for our one year performance evaluations were to see you personally."

Performance evaluations? Nanao usually preferred to handle that on her own. Given the sheer number of recruits to whom she taught both kidou and strategy planning it was just easier for her to evaluate them.

"What kind of evaluation?"

"Advanced Combat 203, Sir."

Hand to hand combat? Was he being punished? Of course he was, he thought, as he stood up and stretched lazily. Climbing down from the roof he met the black robed young man with the cropped hair and shaky hands at the bottom.

"She also left this for you, Sir."

He accepted the tiny white envelope and waved the man away. "I'll meet you in room three."

"Yes, Sir."

If anything, the shinigami was eager to be on his way. Had Nanao been in that bad a mood? He tore open the envelope with a frown.

_"I am requesting you oversee Advanced Combat 203 – a hand to hand combat course that was a required class as part of a punishment issuance during the past twelve months. Each member assigned for evaluation today is due for possible forcible discharge from Eighth Division for a variety of behaviors unfitting a shinigami, a number of them are drinking offenses. I appreciate your cooperation, thank you in advance."_

She didn't even bother signing it. He cursed and stuffed the note in his sash. What the hell was he going to do?


	19. Umbrella

One Hundred Ways to Love

19 of 100: Umbrella

* * *

It was raining. Not a trickle but a downpour. There was so much water it looked like fog. Nanao sighed. Naturally she'd brought nothing from home and the only food in the kitchenette was a pack of stale cookies and her coffee. Standing in the open front doorway she watched the rain despondently. In addition, she was tired of being angry at the Captain. He'd been giving her space since Monday, two days, but it was increasingly apparent that the staff knew they were not speaking. This wasn't going to do. She had no reason to be angry at him, what he did in his personal time was none of her business. Overhead, thunder clapped.

Behind her in the lobby Suki and another girl were sitting and chatting over magazines. They had probably already eaten lunch. It was always possible to see if someone could deliver something but she wasn't sure she really wanted to drag anyone else out in the rain either. Maybe there was an umbrella in her office? Just as she turned to go and look she found herself face to face with one Captain and one umbrella.

"Going out?" he asked. He was minus one pink kimono and one straw hat looking strikingly like an appropriately attired Captain.

Not really sure what to say she settled on a long moment of silence glancing between him and the open door. "I thought about it, maybe not."

"It's supposed to rain all day."

Her frown deepened. Really, she probably deserved that. She'd been bitchy to him and everyone else all week. Cosmic justice.

"Do you want me to get something for you?"

Nanao shook her head negatively. "You don't need to trouble yourself."

"I want to." There was such earnestness in his face the ache in her chest intensified. An apology sprouted in her belly and was worming its way up to her tongue.

"Captain-"

"I didn't mean to upset you on Friday."

"I know you didn't. It's absolutely none of my business what you do in your personal hours. I was out of line; I'm sorry."

Apparently mindful of their audience, he brought one hand up and patted the top of her head affectionately. "You don't need to say that to me. I like Nanao worrying about me." He paused to smile. "Thank you for dinner."

"You're welcome." She looked away.

"Can we be friends again now?"

Unable to speak, she just nodded. She wanted things back to normal. The week was only half over and she was exhausted.

"Excellent. Let me buy my Nanao-chan some lunch!" he exclaimed pasting on a bright smile and holding up his umbrella.

She cast an uneasy stare out the wide open front doors. It was still raining through the heaviest downpour seemed to have lightened. They would probably still get wet. Plus she didn't feel she deserved to be at his side just now. A kind of melancholy ache had plagued her all morning. Just the thought of him had made her frown. Regret was such an ugly emotion.

"I'm not certain, perhaps when the weather-"

"Lovely, lovely Nanao-chan, where is your sense of adventure?" he sang loudly. He reached for her with one of his free hands capturing her wrist and sliding down to her fingers. The umbrella popped open in the other. His cheerful tone gave way to something more somber. "We should spend time together today."

Whatever argument she had left died with his last comment. Maybe they did need to spend time together today. With a grin, a he yanked her out the door pulling her up tight to his side as they navigated the front walkway squeezed together beneath his umbrella.

In the lobby, Suki cooed. "She is SO lucky!"


	20. World of Dreams

One Hundred Ways to Love

20 of 100: World of Dreams

* * *

The knocking was incessant. Nanao stumbled to her door, too late to stop the intruder from bursting in and then swaying dangerously upon wobbly legs. She recognized the silhouette of him, the light cast behind him almost lighting up his hair. Why was her Captain in her room? She had opted to stay the night at headquarters due to the storm. She didn't even know what time it was.

"What do you want?" she asked testily. It was hard to keep the sharpness from her voice. It had only been two hours since she'd gone to bed.

"Its 3:30 in the morning," he answered gruffly. She thought he sounded vaguely sober, but it was always hard to tell. Normally at around 3 am he was drunk off his feet and he was swaying quite heavily, although that matched his present description quite fairly. "I want what every man wants…" Her eyes widened. "…breakfast."

What man did she know who ate breakfast at 3:30? What person at all ate at that rather odd time and what in the world had possessed him to come to her for _food_ at that time of the morning. What the hell had possessed him to think she had _food_ in her room at Headquarters? "I'm not making you breakfast, get out my room. I have work early tomorrow."

"Naaaaanaoooo!" he whined. He brought his hands up to rub at his eyes. "But I'm huuuungry…"

As though whining pathetically like that was the way to get her to cook for him. Absurd.

"Remove yourself promptly."

"How can I work with no energy? I need food, Nanao-chan. I am a big man!" his voice changed pitch and he thrust his chest out. If she hadn't just awakened a few minutes ago it might have been more amusing.

"I expect you to be sleeping, Sir, so that you can be awake and eat and work during _normal_ hours."

"Naaaanaaaao!" he whined again.

"Out!"

He paused a long moment before stepping boldly forward forcing her _backward and_ sliding the door closed behind him ignoring her command totally. The light of the hall died away dimming the room dramatically. "If Nanao-chan won't feed me food, maybe she'll feed me something else…" his voice dropped.

One hand curled around her wrist and he pulled her, ignoring her squeak of protest. He navigated her dark living space with no difficulty and no drunken swaying. Eager hands found her shoulders. The thin black gown on her frame was silky against her skin and she was bare beneath it. Almost directly from the shower she'd retreated to bed, not even taking her usual time to moisturize with her favorite lotion. Exhaustion had nipped at her all day, now, this late; she didn't want to be-

His hands curled over her narrow shoulders and the thin straps of her gown fell as his hands made tracks of heat down her arms. With ease, he flicked the silky fabric off her hips and it pooled at her ankles leaving her naked in the cool darkness of her room.

"Captain-"

This wasn't appropriate. It wasn't called for… it was… it…. They couldn't be doing this at Headquarters in the barracks! His mouth found her neck, kissing her with his wet, open mouth. When his tongue smoothed up toward her jaw, her knees weakened and one of his arms curled around her waist.

"Bed time, Nanao-chan," he whispered, gathering up her, and backing up the few steps to her futon.

"C-Captain! This is not-" she protested but he cut her off with his mouth, swallowing her words.

"I need you, Nanao."

Her insides melted. Heat pooled in her belly. "Captain-" he pushed her shoulders and her foot caught on the edge of her futon mat and she tripped.

Flopped. Her head smacked the floor hard and she found herself trying to blink away the buzz of the impact when she realized her room wasn't dark. A glance toward the window heralded the dawn and a glance down at herself revealed she'd rolled out of her bed. Unusual.

Grumpy, she forced herself up and headed for the bathroom. If she was going to have perverse dreams about her Captain it would've been nice to have at least gotten to the sex.

* * *

AN: This was originally going to be my first SxN lemon but I never got around to working on it so I adapted it. What you see here is actually the extent of how far I got into the lemon minus a few lines added on at the end today. There's a line in here from Princess Destiny's one hour challenge page I think, so I credit her for that. I think its the breakfast part.


	21. Bathing Suit

One Hundred Ways to Love

21 of 100: Bathing Suit

* * *

Ise Nanao was one of the most orderly people in Soul Society. She ruled her life with lists and saved all her receipts. There were those who thought her boring and even more who thought her "stiff". The number of insults she'd heard attached to her name were plenty. She'd taken particular offense to the speculation that she had gotten her place as Vice-Captain by using her body against her well-known womanizing Captain. While that was a bit flattering, that anyone would think that she, plain, small chested Nanao, could seduce her way into power, was woefully untrue. And in some respects, laughable.

Now, having been cowed into going to the pool with said Captain and his good friend and fellow Captain Ukitake, she regretted having ever met the man. She spent several long minutes cursing him thoroughly in her head as she wrung her fingers, twisting them anxiously in her flower print towel. Said towel had been a gift that morning from her well-meaning Captain.

Slipping her arms into the three-quarter length, mostly sheer cover-up she'd brought along she sighed. The towel wouldn't do it and she had to protect her back… the upper kanji of her tattoo was quite visible on her back without it. She hadn't been able to find anything that covered her back completely. At least the back panel of the cover-up was solid and would hide the mark.

"Nanao-chan! Stop hiding or I'll come in after you."

His sing-song tone ratcheted her annoyance up another notch. That insufferable-

It would be worth it, she told herself, to have him in the office to go through the new recruit interviewing, one of the busiest times of the year. All she had to do was stay with him at the pool for a couple of hours and wear this… this… _swimsuit_. She considered herself lucky that the swimsuit wasn't held on with a couple of strings and wasn't some ostentatious pink.

Pulling the towel around her as if she'd just stepped out of the bath, she headed out. Both Captains were there, hers leaning against the wall of the changing rooms chatting with a slim blonde.

"Ready, Ise-san?" Ukitake smiled gently at her. He was the first to turn in her direction, always the epitome of politeness.

Apparently the two men spent a great deal of their time at the Soul Society pool during the summertime. It was something she typically tried to avoid. In one of her hands she held a book; the other firmly grasped her towel to her body.

"Nanao-chan!" she turned her eyes toward her Captain to see he was lazily smiling. "You're not supposed to wear the towel."

With a barely perceptible growl she slipped it off, curling it over her arm, pleased she'd thought of the cover-up ahead of time. He couldn't possibly complain about it. Except for the back panel where goldfish were embroidered, the rest of the thing was sheer. The suit itself had been her own choice, a rather nondescript purple that almost matched her eyes in one long, concealing piece of material. There were no frills, no gold clips, no peep holes for peeking, and no cleavage, nothing even remotely frivolous. It was a plain purple suit cut high on her thighs and moderately above the breast.

She was a little self conscious in the skin tight outfit but if she refused to obey him she'd only add fuel to the fire as far as the rumors about her being "cold" went. And then there was the fact that she didn't want to convince her Captain to supervise her day. In fact, with the look the blond was shooting at her, Nanao considered it in her best interest to leave. Maybe the woman could keep him occupied and away from her for a while. She'd thought she'd overheard him telling someone he intended to get her drunk today.

"I'm going to go read." She escaped before he could protest, but he called after her anyway.

"You agreed to have a drink with me, Nanao-chan!"

She ignored him but she wasn't far enough away to miss the woman's comment. "_I'll have a drink with you,"_ along with the accompanying giggle.

As she wandered toward a set of vacant chairs by the far side of the pool she wondered. If she had been beautiful and heavily curved, would she have had the nerve to even try seducing a man, let alone one like Kyouraku Shunsui?

She hated when people made her doubt herself. She hated it even more that she knew they were indirectly manipulating her behavior. For that, she hated herself for not being strong enough.

Kyouraku Shunsui was the only man she knew who frolicked. He splashed around in the pool, picked flowers, sang love ballads, and recited poetry. She'd never even read a character in romance novels like him. He was so… he was beyond description. Really, he was beyond what she considered _reality._

She watched him over the edge of her book. She watched him swim with a couple of red heads. They looked liked twins. Actual sisters, she thought, one man…that was appalling. She watched the women dunk him under and then all of them came up splashing water, his arms around one and the other pressing her large bosom to his back.

She watched him whisper lines of poetry by the chairs on the other side of the pool to a pouty woman while a short brunette patted his hair dry. The giggles carried far enough for Nanao to hear them and the blushes were a bit more than she could handle.

Then she watched him sipping sake with a circle of women. The flirting was outrageous. The laughing, the batting eyelashes, the touching… if they started groping she was going to make an excuse to head inside for a while. Actually, heading inside did sound appealing except she'd caught sight of a bar and far too many roving male eyes looking to pick up a girl. She didn't want company.

Nanao kept a close eye on the hand of the brunette on her Captain's thigh and wondered just how close the woman would get to his crotch in public. He certainly didn't seem to mind if the looks he kept tossing at the little woman were any indication.

"Having a pleasant afternoon, Ise-san?"

She jumped, her eyes darting up at her guest. The neglected book slipped from her sweaty palms, her heart thumped hard in her chest and a flush warmed her cheeks.

Caught.

Would he mention it?

She cleared her throat awkwardly. "It's about what I expected. Are you having a nice afternoon?" she forced her tone to be even and dared not look back at her Captain.

The man with the white hair smiled gently at her. "Lovely. Shunsui always has such a nice time in the sun and I think I enjoy it more just watching him."

Her face flamed but he continued to smile at her. If the remark was deliberate or innocent, she couldn't tell. Captain Ukitake was slick and very observant. She dry swallowed.

"I hope he gets a good deal of it out of his system before he comes back to the office."

"I daresay he won't, but we can always hope. Can I get you anything?"

She declined gently and he wandered off with the same knowing smile in place. He was not cruel enough to force the issue of her staring, but mischievous enough to indirectly mention it. Nanao glanced toward her Captain to see they had descended into some kind of drinking game. As a woman leaned forward to smack her lips to his, Nanao leaned back in her reclining chair and closed her eyes, abandoning her book on her lap.

She would never have a life like that. For the longest time she'd never wanted it. It was only when her Captain shoved it in her face did she realize her life was very much like an empty closet. Suppressing the ugly feeling, she closed her eyes. She wouldn't think of it anymore.

* * *

"You going to play all afternoon?"

Shunsui looked up as Ukitake returned with another bottle of sake and sat down beside him.

The Captain's lounge was a resort for the executive Gotei-13 officers and the pool was one of Shunsui's favorite hang-outs. It was a pity that Nanao didn't enjoy it more, he thought as he glanced over at her. Her slim figure in a bathing suit was a fine spectacle. He should take a photo for his office, he thought, offhandedly. One of her knees was bent up revealing the gentle curve of her calf and a book was spread across her flat abdomen. She was beautiful. Pity she didn't understand that.

"Play?" Shunsui inquired as he took the sake bottle from his companion.

"With all the women… didn't you promise a drink with your Vice-Captain? You've neglected her all day."

He cocked his head as he opened the bottle. "She looked so relaxed; I didn't want to bother her."

"Relaxed?"

The astonishment on Jyuushiro's face caused Shunsui pause.

"You think she looks relaxed today?" the curve on Jyuushiro's mouth widened. "I think she thoroughly regrets ever agreeing to come here today."

Shunsui's face fell. "I have not seen anyone bother her. Is she too warm? Should I call Fourth Division?"

"Until about the last hour, she's spent the entire day watching you."

The silence between them stretched after the statement. Nanao didn't watch to admire, so what did she see when she looked? His mouth tensed into a straight line. Now she was still and quiet and looking very much asleep. Now, it seemed, she was relaxed, when she was _not_ looking at him.

"In fact, I think Ise-san is looking a bit red. What do you think?" Jyuushiro suggested absently as a girl with a tray brought him a cup of cold tea.

Shunshui's eyes darted again toward the girl, this time trailing slowly along her exposed legs, taking in the color. He trailed his way up to her face, assessing, noting the increased pinkness the higher up.

Had she put nothing on before coming out? He stood abruptly realizing he'd made a horrible oversight. He'd missed the opportunity to touch so much of Nanao's skin? It was a lapse that was positively amateurish.

"I'll see you later."

He stalked directly toward her, not noting his friend's smile as he did so. Nanao was stretched languidly in her chair looking very much like a contented kitten sleeping in the sun.

"Hey, Nanao-chan." He called to her before he reached her side and noticed how her eyelids fluttered before she awoke. The second her eyes opened, they immediately closed again, no doubt pained by the brightness of the afternoon sun, and she brought her hand up to cover them. Was she disoriented?

"What time is it?" she murmured.

"Late afternoon." Reaching down he grabbed one dainty hand and pulled her up on her feet. "You haven't been in the pool all day."

"I'm not fond of-"

She squeaked when he reached beneath her and scooped her up.

"Nanao-chan, my sweet girl, you need to live a little more."

"I agreed to come down here and to have a drink with you, I never agreed to anything-"

At the edge of the pool, he simply threw her in. The water swallowed her with a splash and he laughed leaping in after her. She came up with a growl and a glare and threw an armload of water in his face. He sputtered.

"Now, now… no hard feelings, Nanao-chan," he chided with a grin.

"You lunatic," she growled moving toward the edge. He watched her swim, the white sheer of her shirt becoming transparent against her skin. it clung to her body, her suit… and through a gap in the solid stitching on her back he thought he saw something dark.

Nanao's back held a **_secret_**.

Quickly catching her, he pinned her against the edge of the pool, staring down her spine. He couldn't see through the thread but if that didn't look like…

"Nanao-chan," he breathed in her ear. "It's words."

"What?" she asked, turning her head toward his mouth.

"Nanao's secret," he whispered. "She's got kanji down her spine."

Her reaction was too powerful for words. She leapt from his arms and fled. He wasn't sure to be thrilled over his discovery or moody that she was reneging on their deal. It wasn't possible to distinguish any part of the kanji but he was certain that's what it had been. He knew one thing.

There were words on his Nanao-chan's body.


	22. Confession

One Hundred Ways to Love

22 of 100: Confession

* * *

Captain Kyouraku took a hard look at the paper in front of him. It was the second request, from the same person, to challenge for the seat of Vice-Captain. Idly, he lifted his pen and stuck it between his teeth. He wasn't really in the habit of chewing on his pens, but it was Nanao's pen and he liked the way she got all flustered when he did it. Though, at the moment, Nanao was out in training. She'd been holding tutoring sessions all week in what she called "Advanced Kidou 4," Advanced Kidou classes 1-3 were taught by her hand chosen officers as she simply hadn't had time for all of them.

Now, staring at the paper he wondered what he ought to do. Was it time to honor the request? Perhaps he could interview the person in question. He glanced down at the name, Honda Kano. It didn't sound familiar. He wasn't as out of touch as Nanao liked to paint him. Four times during the week he was involved in direct Division activities involving his soldiers, even if he often didn't retain names.

Frowning, he stood up and headed out to the front lobby. There the secretarial pool, the four of them, all looked up at once. Were his footsteps distinct or were they just attentive? Four smiles popped up on four faces.

_"Good afternoon, Captain!"  
"Can we assist you this afternoon?" _

The other two bobbed their heads in agreement and he wondered why their cheerfulness wasn't rubbing off on him today. Referring the paper, he looked down. "I need Honda Kano."

"Honda-san is in a training session at the moment," one of the girls chirped in reply.

The other three looked over at her surprised. "Do you know him?" one girl asked. It was the girl with the strict bun that reminded him of Nanao.

The other girl, with the bright blue eyes, nodded cheerily. "Yes, Honda-san often drops by in the evenings to chat. Usually I'm the only person left here with Vice-Captain Ise so he stops by on his way out." She turned those eyes back at the Captain. "In fact, Honda-san should be in class with the Vice-Captain right now. He's taking Advanced Kidou 4."

That perked him right up. "Really? How long has he been taking it, do you know?"

"Not that long," she answered biting her lip. "If I remember correctly this is only his third or fourth class since the Vice-Captain just recently started holding the Advanced Lessons in the afternoon instead of the morning. He told me he had just passed the entrance exam for it."

"Perfect... now, lovely ladies, which room is that class being held in?"

All four returned to smiling and answered at once. "Combat Hall Eight, Sir."

In his mind a plan had been coming along. He'd sneak by Nanao's class, observe the lady in action, try to identify the writer of the form, inevitably Nanao-chan would notice him and he could tell her he wanted one of her students. Of course, that would lead to questions but... wait one second.

"Combat Hall Eight?" he repeated.

"Yes, Sir. The Vice-Captain warned that she was teaching deadly skills and did not want to incur any damage upon our building or equipment so she moved the class outside."

Outside was an insufficient description. "Combat Hall Eight" as Nanao had cheerfully named it was a damn hour away in a field next to nowhere. Did he want to walk all the way out there? Sure it was a long walk but it was a nice walk if he took the right path. There was no chance of rain or any other aberrant weather. The thought of Nanao teaching her possible replacement "deadly skills" didn't sit well with him. Curling the paper in his fist he headed for the front door. Guess he had no other choice then.

* * *

There was one thing her Captain was not, Nanao noted to herself and that was subtle. He had no interest in it, preferring to float through life being extravagant. He was now perched on the sidelines of her class waving a little "Go Team" flag and calling out encouragements. She had ignored him the first twenty minutes and now she wasn't sure what to do. Taking stock of him she noted the straw hat on his head protecting his face from the sun, the pink kimono was beneath him on the grass spread out like a picnic blanket, and his sandals were off to the side. He was notably not drinking.

She glanced back at the class just in time to see the last four targets get destroyed. They had only been out forty-six minutes, she could hardly end the class. Especially not after they had walked out an hour out here. "Replace the targets and repeat four times." It was taking an average of four hits to destroy the target and the times were ranging per student. That gave her a few minutes at least to investigate the Captain's appearance.

* * *

When she turned on her heel he knew she was coming for him. Not only was he the only person on the sidelines but she had that look on her face that said he was about to get scolded. In retrospect his plan hadn't involved the cheering or the signs but he'd felt his presence was needed when he saw some of her students were looking a bit discouraged. That was no doubt caused by the way she was yelling at them so he was a pleasant counterbalance.

"Afternoon, Nanao-chan," he greeted.

"What are you doing here?" she crossed her arms and looked moodily down at him.

"Being cheerful and uplifting. I should've brought a drink though." He purposely let his eyes drift toward the field. She followed the gaze glancing back but there was nothing amiss behind her.

"You couldn't think of anything more productive?"

"I am most productive being wherever Nanao-chan is," he answered her before patting the ground next to him. There was enough space for her to sit on the edge of his spread kimono. "Have a seat, let's talk."

"I do not have time-"

"It's very important we talk now."

He wasn't sure which part of it got her attention, whether it be his tone or his body language but she always picked up on his cues well. Instead of sitting next to him, however, she knelt properly at his side in the grass, her hands folded down in her lap. "Should I end the class?"

"No, there's just something we need to talk about. Can you direct them from here?"

Nanao turned and gave them a glance over. They didn't need her exact direction at the moment. Then, thinking of something she called out an exercise and then declared a fifteen minute free practice block. Well, whatever would work for her, he thought glancing over the students wondering which of the men in the class was Honda. There was a stocky one in the far right and several thin ones. One had an odd, bushy beard growing on his chin...

"Captain?" Nanao prompted.

"Hmm? Yes, which one of them is Honda Kano?" Not wanting to give her any clues he kept his eyes on the students, glancing from person to person. They were all so nondescript. None seemed arrogant or showy. Which one of them had the gall to petition for Nanao's job?

"Honda Kano is that man there," she pointed him out discreetly with a nod in his direction. "With the slick hair."

Ah, the young man in the left corner, he hadn't noticed him first time around, too short. Shunsui regarded him thoughtfully. Perhaps too young to be challenging his Nanao, he thought, regarding the smirk on his lips as he chatted with the girl next to him.

"Is there a problem with him?"

"What is he like?"

Maybe if Nanao had a problem with him he could just get out the discharge form and send him to another Division. Maybe Eleven, he was sure Kenpachi would take him... Maybe the 11th Captain would squash him, but Shunsui decided not to be picky about the details.

"Very young, very showy, likes to try to impress the girls. His temper can be short, usually triggered by negative comments about his height, but he is punctual and does his job as admirably as anyone else. No disciplinary offenses. Is there a reason why you are asking?"

Nanao's temperament varied. Sometimes she could be very impatient. Today she was being very dutiful. He turned his eyes to her before reaching into his sash. The crumpled paper he withdrew immediately took her attention. With a careless toss, it landed in her lap and she unfolded the creased, crumpled paper. Wordlessly, she read it and when she was finished she lowered it to her lap and said nothing.

"I try to be a fair man, but there are some things on which I cannot be unbiased."

"It was my understanding that challenging for Vice-Captain didn't require a form." Her tone was very carefully neutral.

"I require it here," he answered. "I am permitted to change my Division rules," he reminded her. Those soft coral lips of hers were down turned.

"How long have you done this?" The tone of her voice was soft. He could see her mind working in her eyes, wondering, pondering.

"Since before you qualified for the job. Do not worry yourself, Nanao, it isn't new."

"You've interfered the whole time?"

"Protecting my interests is not interfering."

"You've undermined me and my authority and my authenticity from the very beginning."

Now she was started to sound angry. A quick glance at her face revealed the tell-tale signs of anger: the mouth, the eyebrows.

"I haven't interfered with your challenge matches in any way."

"No, what you did was decide who was allowed to challenge me. That isn't how it should work." Her nimble fingers took the paper in her lap that she had so gently uncreased and she crumpled it again angrily.

"Decisions on staffing are made by the Captain, you are overstepping your bounds."

He was certain he didn't mistake the flash of hurt on her face and reached for her, unable to stop himself from doing it. Shunsui tried to cup her cheek but she brushed his hand away. Really, he ought not to touch her that way in public, especially with a challenger possibly looking on but that expression on her face... He let his hand fall away.

"There's a lot of rumors," he started suddenly. "Did you know that? About us?"

With her lips pressed tight together and her hard eyes trained on her students, she answered. "I'm aware."

Shunsui scratched his cheek. "I've heard a lot of things over the years. About us... about me... about you, a lot about you actually because so few people know you. There's some sense among some people that your job is the easiest in all of the Divisions."

If anything the comment only wound her up tighter. She crossed her arms.

"I won't allow every moron that floats up the pike to have the opportunity to scar your perfect porcelain skin because he thinks he can follow rumors to the top."

Angrily, she cocked an eyebrow at him. "What makes you think I'm not already a mass of scars? I could've been a hell raiser in the academy."

His laughter carried in the field and the students looked back at them. "The only marks on my Nanao-chan's body are those secret words down her spine... "

Carefully, she looked away from him and didn't address the issue. "What then would you like me to do? If staffing decisions are to be made by the Captain."

"I'm satisfied," he answered softly. "He's been persistent despite my previous denials of him. I'll make the arrangements back at the office and we can proceed with the challenge."

"Are you sure you have good enough reason to accept? Perhaps it isn't sunny enough or I haven't logged enough practice hours," she suggested sourly staring at her challenger across the field.

Her continued anger annoyed him and he leaned closer, wanting - but unable - to push her back down onto the grass and crawl over her tiny body. Sometimes she could make him crazy with the urge to touch her, to crowd over her small, disapproving frame. As close to her ear as he could get without laying his hands on her, he whispered. "Nanao's well being is all the reason I require for anything. But if you harbor any concern over the well being of your _student_, I suggest you not lose tomorrow."

The softly worded threat, the way her body responded to it with a flush of heat made him want, again, to curl his hands around her. He forced himself to stand and forced an even showier goodbye to the students calling out encouragements. Nanao remained seated, her expression stony until he picked up his kimono and turned away. As he cast her back one more glance she had risen and was walking back toward the field.

Maybe after she won tomorrow he could make her fight for her seat against the only person who truly mattered.

Himself.

Problem with that scenario was he was entirely too tempted that when he got his hands on her he would be less concerned with fighting her and more about finding how just how many scars her body _did _have.


	23. Voice

One Hundred Ways to Love

23 of 100:Voice

* * *

The meeting, as usual, was going to hell. Straight to hell, Nanao thought, watching as Yachiru and Nemu were showing slides of their "discrete" photos. Since several of them involved male shinigami barely decently clothed with huge smiles and sunglasses Nanao wasn't sure how "discrete" they'd been. They looked posed to her. Not only that Nanao was having some serious questions about Yachiru's apparently growing maturity given her enthusiasm over the project. Maybe someone needed to have a talk with her about things. Male things.

"Is everything okay?"

Nanao blinked at the soft voice beside her and found herself staring at Kotetsu Isane, Vice Captain of 4th. Her face was drawn down into a gentle frown and Nanao thought she looked like a very gentle person. It was probably no wonder she worked in 4th under Captain Unohana.

"I'm sorry?" Nanao asked.

"If you'll forgive my being intrusive, you look very distracted today, Ise-san."

"Oh," Nanao looked back at the screen where Captain Ukitake was posing, flexing his muscles. "I'm just trying to rearrange the 8th Division budget to allow for the purchase of new tatami for the main meeting room and some refreshments. He wants to celebrate the upcoming New Year."

Isane blinked. "Is that all?"

Nanao paused. She had never been one to confide in other people. For as long as she'd been around she'd depended on herself. "Yes, that's it."

"Well, I know over at 4th we do occasional fund-raisers."

"A fund raiser?" Nanao repeated. "How does that work out? Is there a lot of preparation fees? Is it successful? Do you have volunteers for the event or is it mandatory?"

Isane smiled. "We usually have volunteers. The Captain usually calls a general meeting and discusses it with the whole Division to explain what new equipment or whatever we want to buy. 4th Division budget can be very tight but we're all a very good group in all I think. Usually there's lots of donations and volunteers. It's like a big yard sale."

"I've never heard of this before," Nanao confessed.

"There's not a huge turnout but we usually do okay."

"Is this a confidential girl talk?" Matsumoto peeked her head over Nanao's shoulder between the two women. "I think Ukitake has an extremely good rear shot, don't you?"

Nanao glanced at the screen in time to see a scowling Kuchiki Byakuya who was very obviously not posing.

"We were actually discussing fund-raising," Isane offered casting a glance at Nanao.

"Have a male auction. 8th Division has some hotties, not to mention the Captain. You could get a load for him," Matsumoto suggested. "He'd probably even go for the idea."

"Or maybe a bake sale where people cook."

"Or a party, you could charge an entry fee."

Nanao sighed. "That's what we'd be saving the money for, a party."

"Why? Is it going to be a bash or something?" Matsumoto inquired, pulling up a chair forcing the two women apart to make room for herself.

Nanao watched the screen while she answered. "Captain Kyoraku is concerned about the morale involving some of the officers and the new recruits."

"Is everything okay with you and him? When I saw him this afternoon he mentioned that you were upset with him and was very distracted."

Nanao scowled, sitting ramrod straight. "Everything is just fine."

"He's just worried about you," Matsumoto leaned back in her chair. "I wish my Captain was like that, but he's fun in his own way too." She grinned.

"It isn't his job to worry about me," Nanao stiffly answered.

"You've been his Vice-Captain a long time," Matsumoto observed softly. "Besides, we both know you don't _really_ want him not to worry about you." She took a discrete glance at Nanao's covered back.

Nanao slammed her fist against the table, unaware they were now the center of attention. "You have no right to tell him about that! None!"

"I didn't tell him anything. At least, nothing specific," Matsumoto smiled. "But I think he has every right to know, after all, you don't _own it." _

"What I _own_ isn't the issue. If it pleases you that I'm not perfect; fine. I make mistakes just like everyone else but I don't need you announcing them to a hundred of his drunk buddies."

"But telling him was okay?" Matsumoto pressed with a grin. "There's no need to get bitchy anyway, I didn't tell him or the guys that night, and there wasn't a hundred of them. But really, your life might be a bit more fun if he knew, wouldn't it?"

"Knew what?" Yachiru popped up suddenly crawling onto the table to swing her legs over it directly in front of them.

Nanao ignored her and stood up. "Please excuse me; I am being challenged for my seat tomorrow."

Nanao ignored the calls behind her from the Kotetsu sisters wishing her luck the next day on her challenge. After she was gone Isane met Matsumoto's eyes.

"Is she really all right?"

"'Course. She's just being her normal uptight self."

"What does he need to know?" Yachiru asked.

Matsumoto grinned. "Oh, honey… that is a big, big secret."


	24. Left Behind

One Hundred Ways to Love

24 of 100: Left Behind

* * *

Suki sat quietly with the others at the front desk. The last week had been uneasy. Her life, like everyone else, had been part of a scheduled routine. They had all followed the strict orders of their Vice-Captain.

Only, four days ago their Vice-Captain had been challenged by one Honda Kano and things hadn't been the same since. Namely because their previous Vice-Captain had been _defeated_.

It was no small shock to the Eighth Division. She had not been there to witness the match herself but many of the others had. It wasn't even necessary, really. People had been regurgitating the same story all week long and everyone was saying the same thing.

Honda Kano had cheated.

Not only had he cheated but both previous Vice Captain and Captain had accepted Honda Kano's victory. That alone had thrown speculation into the air. Those who had placed bets rioted citing the match was fixed. Some thought that she had lost the match on purpose so that she and the Captain could have a more open love affair, though Suki doubted the validity of such a thing.

It had been three days since anyone had seen her, Ise Nanao. She had taken a few things from her office and went home as though it were any other day and not looked back.

She hadn't even said goodbye.

Suki, along with a number of the other Division members was distraught. Ise Nanao had been part of 8th Division before she'd even become a secretary there and now… bringing her hands up she started to bite her nails. It was something she hadn't done in a while.

Not only that, not one piece of paperwork had come across her desk from the executive offices in days. A feeling of doom had overcome her. Though she didn't dare speak it to the others, she was certain they path they were now on was not going to be a smooth one.

Not even remotely.

* * *

It wasn't cheating.

He hadn't freaking cheated. No matter how many times he said it; no matter how many times he drove himself into the training rooms to bloody his fists pounding out his frustration it did no good.

Honda had been Vice-Captain barely four days and was beginning to wonder why the hell he'd ever wanted to do it. The previous chick had made it look easy. Not only was it not easy, it was boring and he was being greeted almost everywhere with borderline hostility. Only a handful of Division members had been supportive of him telling him that he was right in that the previous Vice should've been paying attention.

After all, he'd just struck first, that's all. He'd thought it a bit of irony that he'd hit her before she could strike and with one of the kidou spells she'd even taught him. Wherever her mind had been that afternoon shouldn't have been his concern.

Now, here he was with a desk full of paperwork and hostility everywhere. Not only that, he'd been told by one of the secretaries that Captain Kyouraku not only wouldn't be in but that the Captain had received sixteen separate challenges for the seat of Vice-Captain already and he was considering what, if any, order those challenges would be accepted in.

This was not going the way it should've.

Impossibly worse was the fact that he'd barely stepped into his new office as Vice that evening when he heard someone come in behind him. One glance backward and he'd been flat on his back after one moment of hard contact between his face and his Captain's fist.

_"Nanao-chan has accepted this decision, so I will accept it._ _You will be expected to pick up where she has left things." _

Life fcking sucked.

* * *

The liquor wasn't strong enough by half, Shunsui noted. He could not only still stand up; he could probably still snap the spine of that annoying little upstart that had taken his Nanao-chan's office. He needed to get drunker.

"You can't do this everyday."

A glance to his right showed Ukitake Jyuushiro sliding the door closed as he entered. There was a parcel in his hands which he sat on the table as he sat down.

"She'd be angry if she knew."

"But she doesn't know," Shunsui countered as he brought more liquor to his lips.

"I could offer her that information," Jyuushiro offered as he began to untie the package revealing a row of soft crème colored cookies. "Kiyone cooked today and sent these over for you. They're quite delicious."

"Isn't that one of your overactive third seats?"

Jyuushiro smiled. "Well they've had more time on their hands this week than they'd had in quite a long time."

That brought a smile to Shunsui's face and he scoffed. "I bet. Has she taken over yet?"

"Well," Jyuushiro shifted. "She has a certain way about things. I was comfortable leaving everything in her hands at the end of the first afternoon."

"She's a very capable woman… and I don't care what comes out of her mouth, you'd better take care of her."

Shunsui wondered why he was so afraid to say her name. Would it make it more permanent if he acknowledged that he'd lost her? Should he consider himself lucky that he knew where she was and that she was safe? Feeling ominous he'd made Jyuushiro promise him that if Nanao had lost, he would take her into 13th and he had done so. Why didn't he feel better about that?

The man with the white hair smiled very gently. "Of course. I would never endanger her."

A moment of silence fell over them. Shunsui reached for a cookie to fill the space. "How is she?" The cookie was vanilla but he wasn't in the mood to eat it. Despite that, he kept chewing.

The other man sighed. "For all the years I've known her, you'd think I'd know her better." He gave a shrug. "She's quite productive but there's a … a distance in her that I'm almost positive is new. When she doesn't have something to focus on she seems very lost in thought. I've thought perhaps it's a bout of heartsickness."

Heartsick, homesick… was it the same? Did she miss him? He sure as hell missed her, even if he couldn't get the energy into his frame to drag himself over to her new office. Too much effort to show himself she wasn't his anymore.

"When you manage to sober up, you should come over and see her. It'd probably both do you a bit of good."

Shunsui wasn't sure he agreed.

* * *

There was no coffee. Division Thirteen stocked a supply of green teas though interesting were no substitute for her favorite morning beverage. Other than that she found Division Thirteen to be a much quieter place. More sedate when the two third seats weren't around.

She had known the two for quite some time though not with any intimacy. Neither had held the position of Vice-Captain and interacted with her often even though Kiyone was a member of the Female Shinigami Association beneath Nanao's command. That, if nothing else, was a small comfort. Kiyone had been very welcoming. Sentaro followed suit making it an odd competition.

Moving through the week had been a rather numb experience for her. She'd been analyzing, trying, just exactly who she was apart from Division Eight. So far her answers had been disappointing. There were no hobbies, no steady friends, no group activities… no love of her life.

Now, as the last day of the week was finally winding down she realized she wouldn't have to come back for a day. What would tomorrow bring? The first day at home, by herself, with nothing else to focus on except the recent change in her life.

A firm knock on her doorframe brought her attention to the doorway. Standing there her new Captain was watching her with melancholy eyes. "I'm sorry this has been so hard on you."

She started to protest but he held up a hand, stepped in, and quietly closed the door. It was probably unnecessary, most of the office was empty but she never really knew where Kiyone and Sentaro were.

"You could go back."

Nanao shook her head. "I couldn't. I lost."

"You did lose," he answered seating himself across from her. "But you weren't defeated. There is great unrest in Division Eight just now because of your absence. Shunsui would allow you to retry if only you'd ask him."

What else would he do if she asked? "What if that is not where I'm supposed to be? I could…" she trailed off. "There's other things in Soul Society. I've been in Division Eight since I graduated."

"Do you want to do other things?"

"I don't know."

"If you'll forgive me for being so direct; I think you do know. You and Shunsui both. If you will not consider, at least talk to him. he's been drunk all week, stopping only when he passes out."

Nanao nodded. "I'll go and see him tomorrow."

"Go and see him tonight," Ukitake pressed. "And no matter how things turn out you are always welcome here."

She sighed. "Did he ask you to offer me this job?"

He hesitated and then returned her sigh. "Truthfully, yes but I would have done so anyway. Even if we are not close, I hope we are friends also, Ise-san."

Quickly blinking her stinging eyes, she nodded. "Of course."

"So, off you go. Shunsui isn't at the office, he's at home tonight."

Nanao stood and slowly moved to the door. "Will you be in on Monday?"

Ukitake hesitated as he stood. "I plan on it but I may not. Did you need me for something?"

"No. I received a request a day ago for tutoring in kido, I thought I might do that for an hour if that's all right with you."

He blinked. "I trust your judgment. Was it a class for our members?"

"I believe so; it was handwritten on my desk."

"Well, by all means go to it."

The distraction was brief and as Nanao stepped out the front door she wondered if cowardice would take her home instead of to her former Captain.

* * *

Note: I did write the challenge scene. And then I accidentally deleted it by overwriting the file with another file. I'm NOT WRITING IT AGAIN. So that's why this is here, a different perspective on the same thing that happened in version one. It's about time we explored a couple more people anyway.


	25. Why?

One Hundred Ways to Love

25 of 100: Why

* * *

The chill was starting to get to her feet. She had been outside for at least fifteen minutes, hiding in the dark, trying to analyze whether or not he was home. There was a faint light illuminating one window but that wasn't necessarily indicative of his being at home. While her new Captain had assured her that he was there, she wasn't so certain.

Or, more accurately, she wasn't sure if she was hoping he was or was not home because she didn't know what to say to him. Deciding that her feet were getting too cold and that cold was rapidly moving up to her ankles, it was time to take action. A few feet to his door and a quick knock to the doorframe were actions her brain took on autopilot. She stood there a few numb seconds before she was retreating down the steps toward the street. Was there any real need to talk to him?

Or maybe she could do it later?

When it was daylight?

Maybe at his office or… ?

Inside, she barely caught the end of something muffled that sounded distinctly like, "go away" and that made her stop altogether and turn around. Was he really that drunk? Again, she hovered and thought about the proper course of action before she was walking back up the door, this time foregoing the knocking. She slid it open, no lock hindering her progress. Inside, her first breath of air was almost to get her drunk on fumes alone. Feeling like a sneak, she slipped off her sandals after she closed the door and crept toward the front room where he usually sat. Or, the place he usually sat the few times she'd ever visited his private residence.

Her Captain, former Captain, was a member of the noble Kyouraku family. They didn't have the prestige of the Kuchiki's but he was a far cry from the gutter-rat that she was. His private residence didn't reflect his glittery heritage. It was modest and traditional, much like that of Ukitake Jyuushiro, a place she had visited a day or so before when he had fallen ill.

He was easy to find, curled up on the floor with a pillow and a fuzzy blanket. Olio, his stray adopted cat cast her a flat stare before slinking off beneath a table. Lying on his side, his hair pooled onto the stark white of his pillow, a free, curly mass she thought he was rather picturesque. She had never seen his hair unbound before, he was so fond of his kanzashi pins.

"Go away," he muttered thickly… slurred.

"Would you give me just a moment?" she hoped her voice wasn't as shaky as it had just sounded. Nanao swallowed. Her eyes stung. Why did it hurt to be in this room with him?

He turned, rolling from his side to his back facing her. The front of his uniform was untucked from his pants, hanging open over his chest which gaped even wider as he laid there, his drunken, lazy eyes on her. "Nanao-chan," he murmured softly. "Come 'ere."

Why was she listening to him? Unsteady footsteps led her to his side and she knelt down, sitting, when he reached of her. She was yanked, not pulled, by one wrist toward him and her body unfolded from its carefully set position. Their bodies jarred together awkwardly, bone and flesh against bone and flesh. The pain of collision only made it more real. His arms slid around her narrow waist pulling her body atop his and she flushed. "Oh, sweet, Nanao-chan," he whispered thickly, his voice muffled as he pressed his mouth to her neck.

"You need to be drinking much, much less, Captain." She tried to sound stern and knew she failed.

He turned to his side, curling her against him, cuddling into her smaller body. "My Nanao-chan… if I dream of you, I'll get drunk like this every night."

"It's bad for you," she murmured. "Besides, I'm sure you have work to be doing tomorrow."

"Nanao-chan needs to come home."

Closing her eyes she rested her head against his, she could feel his breath on her neck. "Not yet."

"Soon?"

"Maybe," she answered.

"Why?"

That was the question, wasn't it? Why? Why had she left when she could've stayed? Why had she let one stupid form upset her so much? Was Honda Kano skilled enough to defeat her? A voice that must've been her own whispered, "no". Why did she stay away now when she knew he would let her retake the challenge for her own seat?

"I just want to…"

What did she want? To see if she could be on her own without her Captain? All those years ago she had been assigned to Eighth Division, it hadn't been her choice. He was all she'd ever really known, she'd had no experiences anywhere else. Logic told her she needed to explore a little, just a little, to see if beside him was where she belonged. How did she explain that?

To see if Ise Nanao could be Ise Nanao without being Ise Nanao of Division Eight, Vice Captain to Kyouraku Shunsui. Maybe others didn't view her that way, but that's how she'd come to see herself. She had become an extension of that man and wasn't sure how she felt about that.

One look at her back proved that even clearer. He was a permanent part of her body, her life forever…

Could she say it without hurting his feelings?

"Division Eight has been my existence for over a hundred years. I was thinking I should see what it outside of it before I decide if I should come back."

She waited for an answer and received only silence. Lifting her head, he lolled suddenly and a soft snore escaped his lips. Maybe he'd heard her and maybe he hadn't… either way she had no desire to leave the warm circle of his embrace, even if her brain told her she ought to. Laying her head back down she closed her eyes and relaxed… and started to count the minutes until dawn.


	26. Time Limit

One Hundred Ways to Love

26 of 100: Time Limit

* * *

"You have fifteen minutes."

Sentaro and Kiyone saluted her brisky and _ran_ from the room. The two of them had been filling in the Vice-Captain seat for so long now that they were just used to doing all the work. Nanao found herself feeling a little redundant. She sighed and took a seat at her desk noting the empty surface. There was no paperwork to be filed. She had sent them off to find a manual that was missing from a bookshelf after noticing it missing earlier. In retrospect the time limit had been a bad idea. But they had, in all truth, started it.

Sentaro first. _"Vice-Captain I can find that in less than an hour!"_

And then Kiyone chimed in. "_No, Vice-Captain, I can find it in half an hour!"_

They had slowly whittled away the time until she'd gotten sick and tired of listening to it. It was times like these that she missed the quiet, noncompetitive hours in Division Eight. It had barely been a week. Now she had sent those two lunatics on a perfectly useless errand and it, apparently, wasn't even going to be a quiet one. Even now they were shouting at one another down the hall.

_"You ugly piece of toe-jam! Admit your defeat!" _

_"Never! You ding weed!" _

What was a ding weed, Nanao wondered, quirking an eyebrow.

"You look like you're having fun." Looking up she found her new Captain at the back doorway. Her front doorway opened into the hall, the back opened onto the veranda where he had a koi pond outside. Today, as on most days, the doors were both open. The overall ambiance of the Thirteenth office was very soothing and she understood better now why her Captain had liked to spend so much time in this place in the past. Though he'd been conspicuously absent as of late.

"Are they always like this?" she wondered, tapping her fingers absently. Her fingernails clicked against the wood and she wondered, in her boredom, if it was time for a manicure.

"No, usually they're only this crazy trying to please me. So they must like you."

"Maybe they're trying to drive me away by making me crazy," she speculated. It wasn't like she could yell at them; they were so genuinely trying to be helpful. In Eight she could yell because they were genuinely _lazy._

_"Twelve minutes left pea-brain!" _

_"Shut your mouth you ugly booger or I'll come shut it for you!" _

Nanao regarded Captain Ukitake wearily. "I don't feel needed here. Your two third seats have this job very well in hand."

"Perhaps there are other ways that you can contribute. I know you are used to handling masses of paperwork but there is also the option of more direct contact with the soldiers. We oversee a good deal of patrols here; perhaps you could offer helpful kidou courses or improvement seminars. Do you have much interest in teaching?"

Nanao regarded the desk thoughtfully. She had always reserved herself for the top-level classes only but perhaps she'd been missing an opportunity. Maybe she could teach the lower, less skilled kido students and help them correct the often incorrect stances and movements early.

_"Eight minutes buttface!" _

_"Its nine minutes, can't you read the clock monkey-brain?" _

"I admire the energy of those two," she noted aloud, before turning her eyes toward him. "I think I will try. I'll start writing up a course today. Perhaps there's potential in that idea."

He smiled. "Good. Did you talk to Shunsui?"

She nodded.

"Good. Excellent. I hope he's decided to curb the alcohol this week, he really was overdoing it."

Nanao agreed, but her mind was already well past the topic. She was thinking of new course material and just how she would advertise said program for her potential new students. She could even run separate classes if she had the interest specializing in binding and destruction arts. Then, of course, there was the topic of the forbidden arts a topic she could not cover lest she find herself being investigated by the Special Kido Forces or worse, Central 46.

"There are other things that need doing, of course. There was a terrible fire in one of our combat fields and the damage to the equipment houses there was quite substantial. With the field littered with debris it became rather overgrown; it has yet to be fixed."

_"Six minutes, pink-tard!"_

That was followed by a suspicious crash that might've been something sailing across the hall or something getting knocked over.

"Do you have a set figure for repairs in the budget?"

"We do, but unfortunately we've been having a few issues with staffing lately and it has led to a few budget shortfalls. Needless to say our equipment budget is usually the last thing we can cut due to our unit involvement in active patrols and so the cuts usually come from the repairs and maintenance slots."

Nanao perked up. "What kind of staffing issues?"

Captain Ukitake scratched one temple nervously. "Well, there has been some issue with the books and potential overtime fraud. Sentaro and Kiyone were looking into it, of course, but I don't believe the problem has been solved yet. That and several of our patrol officers have been turning in time logs and personal expenses for things we do not typically cover such as 'health tonics'."

Nanao's jaw set. "Ordinarily I might suggest a memo detailing which expenses will not be reimbursed but I think it might be more effective to simply deal with this on a case by case basis."

"That might be a bit more time consuming."

Nanao held up a hand. "Please do not concern yourself, Captain. I will handle it _personally_."

He regarded her for a moment before a slow smile spread over his lips. "Ise-san, I must say, you are quite a woman."

She couldn't recall having ever seen that expression on his face and it baffled her.

_"Four minutes jerk-wad!" _

"I'm ashamed to admit that all the years that I've worked with you I never realized how personally capable you were."

What did that mean? Her confusion must've shown on her face because he moved to elaborate.

"The general perception, I must have allowed it color my own view of you as well, is that you handle all the paperwork of Eight. I knew from the outset and previous projects with you and Shunsui that you are adept at research. I did not know that you were so commanding with people other than Shunsui himself." He smiled awkwardly looking a bit bashful. "I think I just supposed that was just your way of dealing with his flirting."

Nanao wasn't sure how to react. "Captain Kyouraku tended to leave all administrative affairs up to me. If you think I am too forceful or too forward-"

"Absolutely not. It will be a nice change to have a strong hand around here," he smiled again looking overly pleased. "I'm a bit of a soft touch myself, and Kiyone and Sentaro argue so much that I think we have a rather comedic affect as an administrative office really."

_"Two minutes, dirt bag!"_

_"A minute and thirty seconds, weasel-guts!"_

"Really?"

Well that was the first ray of sunshine in her day. He was giving her the freedom to be herself? Nanao allowed herself one long moment of glorious fantasy. She was going to figuratively smash some heads very, very soon.

_"Thirty two seconds!"_

_"Defeat! Defeat is upon you fish-breath!"_

Nanao stood. "Please excuse me, Captain Ukitake. I need to have a brief meeting just now."

* * *

"I don't know what she did or what she said, but I didn't hear a word out of Kiyone or Sentaro all day," Ukitake gushed, repeating the story for the third time that night. "I haven't had so much quiet time in fifty years. I could actually hear my stream bubbling."

Shunsui listened grumpily unsure if he should be happy at his friend's uplifted mood or jealous the other man was spending time with Nanao.


	27. Written Word

One Hundred Ways to Love

27 of 100: (Written) Word

* * *

_"Put it back! She'll be here soon!" _

_"Shut up! I know that! Where was it originally?" _

_"I don't know… put it there on her desk… no, not there, in the middle." _

_"That is the middle, stupid." _

_"No, it's not, give it to me! I'll put it back properly." _

Nanao sighed as she stood outside her office just beyond the doorway listening to the argument. It would be another day with those two, she sighed. Even worse, she had been warned the afternoon before by Captain Ukitake that he wouldn't be in the office today. She was stuck managing them all day long. Steeling herself, she stepped in. "Why don't you just give whatever it is to me?"

Kiyone and Sentaro snapped to attention, saluting her crisply. "Yes, Ma'am Vice-Captain, Ma'am." Kiyone then proceeded to elbow Sentaro in the ribs and he made a nasty face.

"The item please?" Nanao prompted, before they could dissolve into another argument.

"Yes, Ma'am."

Sentaro handed over a previously pristine envelope. It looked like the two of them had been fighting over it physically, which she didn't doubt. She sighed.

"Reporting for duty, Vice-Captain!" Kiyone chirped.

"This was on your desk this morning, we didn't read it!"

Obviously they hadn't read it. The envelope was still sealed in the back. Nanao noted the script with curious eyes. It looked like-

"How can we assist you today, Vice-Captain?"

Absently she handed over the stack of papers under her arm. "Divide those in half among each of you and hang them up around here."

Kiyone took the stack and split it in half reading over the leaflet with interest. "You're teaching kidou! I want to join!"

"I would like to join also, Vice-Captain. Please let me be your first student."

"I'll be a better student than _him! _ I'm much more diligent-"

"Fine," Nanao answered crisply. "Go hand up the papers."

"Yes, Vice-Captain," They chirped in unison before skipping off in silence. The quiet lasted until they reached the hall. Nanao ignored it, instead taking a seat at her desk and ripping the envelope open. It looked curiously like her former Captain's script.

_"My dearest, loveliest Nanao-chan,"_ it began.

Certainly, it _was_ from her previous Captain.

_"My mind has been very troubled. It strangely holds less appeal to sleep on the Division rooftop when I know you will not be coming to find me. Or sauntering into your office at three in the afternoon knowing you will not be there to scold me. I'm drinking more and enjoying it less which leads me to this missive. _

_"In order to convince you that you belong in Division Eight I am prepared to offer you the following incentives: _

_"1. A raise, 50 of your base pay_

_"2. Your annual two-week vacation extended to four_

_"3. A new, bigger (and renovated) office_

_"4. Full authority over Division staffing _

_"5. My heart, on a silver platter_

_"6. My body – Nanao-chan, for you to love and abuse at your leisure_

_"7. My soul-" _

Nanao rolled her eyes and stopped reading. Was he insane? Just as she was about to tuck it back into the envelope she caught sight of a shadow near her doorway and saw a face peeking just inside and a little voice following it. "Nanao-chan?"

"Captain, what are you doing awake at 8 am?"

"I," he stepped in looking very studious and very neat. "… have been up all night."

There were circles under his eyes and his hat and kimono were missing. Se couldn't help but think he looked very official in front of her just then. "Captain, you need to go home and get some sleep."

"In a moment, do you know, Nanao-chan that man Honda is driving me crazy. I invited him out as a gesture of goodwill the other night but when he gets drunk he laughs very, very loud." As if to emphasize he rubbed one ear.

"Are things going well? Is he performing adequately?"

Nanao watched as he sat down across from her very leisurely. "I doubt it, he seems kind of clumsy so he probably performs rather poorly if he can talk a girl into actually-"

"Captain-" His answering grin warmed her.

"Did you read my letter?"

She held it up briefly before tossing it back onto her desk. "I appreciate the sentiment but you don't actually have the funds to offer me half of those things and I would know since I did the budget."

"I would pay for them personally." His voice was grave. Nanao watched him a moment registering increasing alarm as he sounded entirely too serious.

She sat forward and focused. "Captain-"

"Did you know the former Vice-Captain of this Division was married to the third seat officer before they both died?" he asked idly.

She did, in fact, know that and nodded in agreement accordingly. Shiba Kaien and his wife Miyako had both been killed on a patrol mission by a hollow.

"I don't want 'soon', Nanao. You're a precise woman, so give me a number."

He remembered that? Honestly, he had been so out of it that night she'd thought he wouldn't recall the event at all. She had stayed all night a good number of hours that morning but he had slept like a rock so eventually she'd crept away unnoticed. Probably just as well, she feared waking up in his arms with him sober anyway. She wondered if anyone besides her noticed just how much more intense he was when he was sober, it made her shiver, the way he looked at her.

She could be truthful and tell him she hadn't analyzed the situation to that degree but it seemed a cruel answer to give. How long did she want away from Division Eight? A month was too short, six months was too long. Casting a feeble glance at the calendar she wondered. "How about three months? I will inform Captain Ukitake of my intentions and petition for a challenge with Division Eight at the proper time. Do you require a waiting period?"

The question seemed to puzzle him.

"Do you require a waiting period for challenges? Or do you just take them up at your leisure?"

"Name the day."

Waving a hand absently she took another glance at the calendar. "That won't be necessary. Let's settle upon the last day of December. That should give me enough time to clean up things here."

Kyouraku quirked an eyebrow. "Fighting corruption?"

"Not yet, but it's my first order of business this morning. Go home and get some sleep."

The Captain lumbered to his feet and wandered toward the door only to nearly be mowed down by Sentaro and Kiyone.

"Vice-Captain, your posters are all up!"

"Good morning, Captain Kyouraku."

"Can we assist with anything else?"

He former Captain eyed her over the two third-seat heads. "

"I want the expense logs, the patrol rosters active duty only, and then I want the payroll books."

Kiyone and Sentaro exchanged a glance. "Err, those things are-"

"Our accounting officer, Miyado-san is kind of particular about people touching his stuff when he's not here."

"And he has the unflattering tendency to get violent when people enter his office without permission-"

Nanao stood. "I want what I just asked for; I do not want excuses. So I suggest you do what I just told you and direct Miyado and his violent tendencies to my office when he gets here, understood?"

Silently, the two saluted and wandered out with notably less enthusiasm. Captain Kyouraku was grinning full force as he leaned against the wall. "You look like you're having fun."

"Not yet, Sir," she answered moving closer to him. "…but the morning is young and Miyado-san hasn't arrived yet. In fact, I think his presence might be needed a few hours earlier starting tomorrow."

Leaning down he brushed his rough cheek against hers, his breath a warm puff against her ear. "You're so hot when you're being commanding."

She gave him a gentle push away. "Sleep well today."

"I'd sleep better with my Nanao-chan next to me."

The former Captain sauntered away with a smile and Nanao returned to her desk ready for the day.

* * *

AN: Thanks to the reviewers, you guys are really a lot of fun and I love you all.


	28. Clock

One Hundred Ways to Love

28 of 100: Clock

* * *

**1200 - The Vice Captain**

"Sir, here is your schedule."

"Hmm?" Honda looked up as one of the secretary's handed him a paper. Without waiting for a response, she wandered out leaving him o read alone. "What? Wait a minute!

In a flash he was up and out the door, barreling straight into another man's chest. He knew, before he could raise his eyes to confirm it that he'd just run straight into his Captain. And why not, he thought sourly, he had made himself look like an ass all week what was one more mistake?

"So sorry, Captain, I wasn't paying attention."

"Honda," Captain Kyouraku exclaimed before looping an arm around the smaller man's shoulders. "You need to focus. Nanao-chan ran a tight ship."

"Yes, well, about that Sir…" he motioned to the schedule in his hands rather helplessly. "Sir, I can't teach Advanced Kidou 4."

"Why not?"

Honda motioned wildly. "Because… because… because I can't do that. I was only in the class a month! I had four lessons with her! Even if I use her lesson book, which I looked at, I can't do it right. I absolutely can't teach other people how to do it, if the Vice-Captain knew-"

"Honda, Honda, Honda…" the Captain shook his head. "If you can't do it, cancel it."

"Well, Sir, there's some very…" he cleared his throat. "Studious people in that class and I'm sure if they found out it was cancelled-"

"Then teach the class."

"But Sir, I can't do that."

Captain Kyouraku was quiet a long moment. "Well… I can't teach it."

Honda stared up at the older man in silence. "I can't teach it either."

"Well," he clapped Honda on the shoulder. "Better figure something out. Good luck with that."

Honda watched him go in complete exasperation.

* * *

**1338 – The Secretaries**

"Wait, wait!"

Captain Kyouraku turned to see the four front secretaries staring at him wide-eyed.

"You're not leaving, are you, Sir?"

"My sweet Suki-chan, the day is young. I must be off."

"But Sir, it's not even two o'clock and you just got here an hour ago," one of the women protested.

"Darling girl, I am wasting my youth cooped up in this office. Would you have me become an old prune?"

The women exchanged glances. "Well, it's just that… morale has been scandalously low since the departure of Vice-Captain Ise not to mention that we haven't filed any paperwork with Division One in almost two weeks now. Not only that Sir but there are some people being shockingly hostile toward our new Vice-Captain."

"Honda is a man and men have to stand on their own two feet," he advised. "As for the rest of it…" he shrugged. "Have a good day; I'll have a drink for you."

They watched him go in silence. "He hasn't spent even half a day here since Vice-Captain Ise left."

One of them sighed.

"Maybe it's too depressing to come to work without her. I mean, you've seen the way he looks at her."

"Maybe he's spending all his time over at Division Thirteen?"

"No, I heard from one of the guys that the Captain spent almost all of last week dead drunk so I don't think he's been there with her."

"This is so depressing."

"Well, I for one thing it's a little funny. Did you see Vice-Captain Honda's expression this morning? That guy's head is going to explode soon."

* * *

**1521 – The Water cooler Gang **

"Did you hear? The Captain actually came to the office today."

"For more than an hour?"

"Uh, maybe an hour and some minutes I think. Then he left again."

"Where's Vice-Captain Honda? Doesn't Advanced Kidou 4 start in like a half hour?"

"Apparently the Vice-Captain nearly had a meltdown about it this morning, who knows what's going to happen with that. Did you see the damage to the front door? It's barely sliding in its tracks."

"If Vice-Captain Ise were here she'd roast our asses for that."

The group shared a round of grins.

"Who's gonna fix it?"

"Who's going to buy the coffee?"

A dark head popped in the doorway of the kitchen where the tiny group of three had assembled with their coffee mugs. Matching mugs, part of the kitchen set, which remained in the kitchen under threat of bodily harm from previous Vice-Captain.

"Wait! You mean the Vice-Captain didn't take her coffee? People! Make way for me!"

* * *

**1850 – Ukitake Jyuushiro's House**

"You mean you did nothing all day?"

Shunsui held up his sake cup with a proud smile. "I have done nothing for two weeks."

"How is Honda-san doing?" Jyuushiro asked taking a moment to rub the bridge of his nose.

Shunsui gave a shrug. "Haven't spent that much time with him. This morning he was stressing over Nanao's kidou classes."

"Oh! Is he teaching those? I didn't know he had such capabilities."

"He doesn't." Shunsui grinned.

"You're allowing an unskilled man to teach Advanced Kidou?"

"Doubt he went through with it, he was practically shaking this morning at just the thought of it."

Jyuushiro frowned. "I understand you're upset over losing Ise-san, but you have been a little harsh on your new man, haven't you?"

"Harsh?" Shunsui challenged. "I lost Nanao because I was stupid and confessed to her I screen all her challengers; if I'd kept my mouth shut she would've kicked his ass and I wouldn't be in this position. Honda being my Vice-Captain is an absolute fluke!"

"So basically it's all your fault."

"Hey, Jyuu, I don't need an analysis… but that aside, I've got a plan. Nanao-chan says she'll come back at the end of December and re-challenge, but that's not soon enough."

"Oh? What's the plan?"

"Actually," Shunsui sat back. "I don't need to do anything. As long as I continue to do nothing Division Eight will melt down and Nanao will have to come back to rescue it."

"Err, Shunsui, I might reconsider that. The Commander might not agree with your plan to win her back."

Shunsui gave a shrug. "Won't be the first time I get in trouble."

"Can you really not survive without her for three months?"

"It isn't about survival, Jyuu. It's about comfort. I haven't had a change this big in my life in almost a century. Which reminds me – how's she doing? Last I saw her she was threatening your staff to get paperwork."

The two men shard an amused smile and Jyuushiro poured himself a cup of sake. "I had no idea she was such an amusing woman. Sentaro and Kiyone came to visit me after hours one night, presumably to check on me, but they ended up staying over two hours regaling me of stories of things she's done in my absence. It's fantastic."

"I'm glad you're having fun," Shunsui sourly noted.

"Don't be a spoil-sport, besides you're getting her back. Not only did she manage to dim the enthusiasm of Kiyone and Sentaro, she apparently wiped the floor with one of my accountants."

"Really?" Shunsui. "Tell me about that."


	29. Mistake

One Hundred Ways to Love

29 of 100: Mistake

* * *

Nano scrutinized the expense report glancing at the name. It was her tenth. She decided to discard it and settled for another, another name this time. They were all pretty typical, mostly food. 13th Division used a standard form which was handed it monthly and paid monthly. Patrol officers were permitted a certain amount of expenditures covered by the office.

Food, temporary lodgings, gigai rental, and a few miscellaneous were the usual line items. Miscellaneous items were permitted so long as they totaled less than a certain amount. For the most part, they seemed to be complying with the rules. Then she started spotting oddities: taxi cab, health spas, treatments, tonics, dinners, hotels, and items that she could not identify.

Getting out a sheet of paper, she began to make lists.

* * *

"Today's agenda has been passed out for you to view. Does anyone have any new business to discuss?"

Nanao glanced over her paper, ordinary agenda. The Vice-Captain meetings rarely changed from month to month. As Vice-Captain of 13 her seat had been moved to the last chair which put her at the back of the room directly across from the Seventh Division officer. Two tables, six persons per table. At the front of the room Vice Captain Sasakibe, of Division One, was leading as always.

"Yo! Vice Captain Saskibe."

Sasakibe turned his head toward the Seventh Division officer who leaning back in his chair, sunglasses perched on his nose. "Did you have something add Iba-san?"

"Since they're here, I would like to request that Kusajika-san and Ise-san of the Shingami Women's Association desist interrupting the Men's Shinigami Association meetings."

Nanao looked up to find him staring at her though she could only guess with those sunglasses perched on his face. "I would like to suggest that the Men's Association stop producing articles about picking up women and other licentious tips."

"Since when is the Women's Association the authority on men's publications?"

"It is part of the Women's Association charter to protect and promote the positive image of women in Soul Society. The Men's Association has proven themselves to be both disrespectful and unnecessary."

Iba opened his mouth to reply.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the Men's and Women's Associations, please take these arguments outside of our meeting as they are unrelated." Saskibe turned toward the first chair on the right. "At this time I would like to welcome our newest Vice-Captain of Eight, Honda Kano."

They were a weak set of salutations and Sasakibe frowned quite suddenly. "Ah, before I forget I would like to see Ise-san and Honda-san at meeting's end."

* * *

Sasakibe was busily marking what looked to be next month's agenda when Nanao approached the front of the room. The others, save for Honda, had already filed out.

"Ise-san, I've meant to contact you earlier. I understand you're having some kind of problem in 13th with expense reports?" he raised his bright eyes in her direction.

"I haven't gotten it straightened out yet, but there appears to be some excessive charges to the office budget."

"And how did you plan to balance those…inaccuracies?"

"If it is a concern I do not plan to ask Division One for additional funding. I have decided that the guilty individuals will be logging additional hours at headquarters since it was their overspending that has caused the budget shortfalls in repairs."

The man blinked. "I see. Thank you, Ise-san that was my only concern."

She nodded and headed for the door.

_"Honda-san, we have not received any paperwork from Division Eight in two weeks. Is there something amiss?" _

_"Well, no Sir, I-_"

Nanao stepped out and headed back. She had several meetings before the day officially ended.

* * *

The new Vice-Captain was pleased as she peeked out her office doorway spotting a pair of people and a couple of toolboxes. The two men looked at her grouchily.

"Going well?" she inquired.

The damages to the hall had been caused when she and Miyado had gotten into a little scuffle. Or, he had gotten smart with her and she'd blasted his disrespectful behind through his precious office door. He had proven thick-headed and come back out prepared to battle and she had blasted him again, this time through the wall knocking him totally out. Thus far she'd had no continued problems with him; he was keeping his mouth shut and avoiding her.

"Yes, Vice-Captain. We're doing okay, though; we really don't have the skill set for this kind of repair work."

"Yeah, can't we hire some guys to fix it?"

"We _could_ hire some repair men to fix it except our budget in is short due to people padding their expense bills. Our money doesn't grow on trees, so until you make up all the money you've rightly stolen that I've added up on your individual bills working at standard shinigami base pay, you work for the office in any manner I choose."

They blinked at her.

"Gentlemen, look at this as an opportunity. 1, you learn not to charge unnecessary items and 2, you get to improve your skill set."

* * *

AN: This one was okay, not as fun as I'd hoped it would be. But the next one, 30: Blood. That one is good. I'm trying to finish it before I leave for work in an hour.


	30. Blood

One Hundred Ways to Love

30 of 100: Blood

* * *

Captain Kyouraku stood next to the window stonily. Beside him, his long time friend Captain Ukitake watched him, a deep frown etched upon his features. Ever since they'd caught the by-chance announcement that Thirteenth Division Vice-Captain Ise Nanao had been injured during patrol, Shunsui had been deadly silent.

They had been waiting in the anteroom upwards of fifteen minutes now. "I'm sure it isn't that bad. After all, she is a very capable woman."

"Capable people die on patrols all the time. What was she doing out here in the first place?"

Jyuushiro paused thoughtfully. "I do not know. As far as I was aware she had no plans to join any active missions but then, she does have a bit of free time."

"I've heard she's been making your men work." It was idle conversation for a man whose mind would not stop running with horrid scenarios.

Jyuushiro was unable to repress the smile. "She made lists of all the things that the office would not cover in their expense reports and totaled them up. Now she's making them do the office repairs, at a per hour rate, until their bills are paid off. Not only is it fixed but she's employed them in tidying up the gardens and fixing the old combat field, the one littered with fire debris."

"Forbid her from going on anymore of these missions."

Jyuushiro's smile faltered and he sighed. "You must know I cannot do that. Not only would she take to the suggestion poorly, it would reflect badly on her for my Division members."

"She hasn't done field world since she was a student."

"Then perhaps you ought to give her an opportunity to grow." Shunsui clenched his fist. "I'm not suggesting that her health isn't important to me, but you have to consider this. She is a grown woman and if you forbid her from going my thoughts are that she'll only go to prove that she can do so. I doubt she had any plans on taking up active missions anyway."

* * *

Nanao moaned softly in pain before clenching her teeth to stop the sound. Beside her, Captain Unohana's continued to glide her hands over her stomach palpating for injury. It hadn't been necessary, to be seen by the Captain of 4th Division. She wasn't hurt that badly, but there was blood and the staff and insisted upon checking her out which meant removing her top and that was an absolute not happening.

Her continued arguing, that she would _not_ disrobe, had brought forth the Captain herself who quietly dismissed the others.

_"Vice-Captain Ise, I've been told that you are refusing treatment."_

_"I am not in need to treatment. I would like to return home now please."_

_"You came into us bleeding, I've been told a number of your soldiers have died already. In fact, it appears that you are still bleeding," she noted as Nanao removed her hand from her abdomen and a fresh splotch of blood appeared on her palm. _

_"I do not require treatment that needs me to take off my clothes." _

_Approaching her bedside with a soft smile, she reached, gently placing one hand upon Nanao's shoulder. "Is there a particular part of yourself you are reluctant to show?" _

_Nanao clenched her teeth. "I do not want to show my back."_

_"Then so long as there are no bleeding injuries upon your back, please allow me, and only me, to inspect your abdominal injury. I promise you that nothing I see shall ever leave this room." _

That was how the soft spoken woman had gotten her uniform open. Once she'd seen the injury, one horizontal slash to the belly, that one awful puncture on the right side, and that one long cut that narrowly missed her right nipple, she'd been even more convinced she hadn't required treatment. Though it would probably scar in a very interesting pattern, she thought sardonically. Just what she needed.

"This is quite deep. Your fight must've have been intense," Captain Unohana remarked. "I didn't know you were doing this kind of thing."

"I'm not," Nanao answered, gasping as Unohana pressed on a particularly sensitive area. "I was invited this morning; I thought it would be a good idea to get to know some of the soldiers. How many of them are still alive?"

"Four." Six had gone on the mission.

Two of them had died. If it hadn't been for her, more of them likely would've fallen. It had been a bad judgment of the mission leader, to target the particular hollow in question with students that were so unprepared for intense battle. Nanao allowed her eyes to drift closed as the doctor finished pressing. "It doesn't seem too bad really. The preliminary healing you received in transit seemed to have stopped most of your bleeding. I'll do one more test to check for internal injury, we'll bandage you up and then I want you to rest."

Nanao nodded.

She heard Unohana's footsteps as they retreated from her toward a side table and Nanao turned her head to watch. "Captain… do you have the means to remove tattooing?"

If the question surprised the Captain it didn't show, the woman, now facing her, didn't even blink. "We can. There are a number of methods available. Is it a large thing to be removed or something small?"

Nanao redirected her gaze to the ceiling. "Quite large."

"The size of the mark usually determines the methods we employ. May I be intrusive and ask if that is why you were so adamant about keeping your clothes on?"

"… yes."

"You surprise me, Ise-san," The Captain was smiling at her now as she approached her once more, this time with a machine of some type. "I would not have thought you the type."

"I'm not, it was a mistake."

She had considered having it removed before but the sheer mortification had stopped her. And then there were the fees. It was entirely likely she couldn't afford it as tattoo removal was cosmetic and therefore, pricey. "We can discuss it at length later if you like; right now I believe you have a few anxious visitors in the waiting room."

* * *

"Nanao-chan!" The door burst open with more force than he wanted. Captain Unohana, leaning over Nanao's bed promptly jumped whipping around her head.

"Captain Kyoraku, please calm down," she urged. "I assure you she is perfectly stable."

Those were not the words he wanted to hear. He had not been told by the medical staff he could enter the room but he simply wasn't waiting anymore. It had been a half hour. What if she was laying in there dying? Would they tell him?

Now, having burst in he found Nanao sitting up on a table holding the white edges of her shitagi closed and the edge of a bandage in one of Captain Unohana's hands. "Just let me tape this one edge and we're done."

"Perhaps you ought to give them another moment or two," Jyuushiro suggested standing very carefully behind Shunsui as he towered over Unhonana's shoulder.

"Why? She isn't naked and I've waited quite long enough," Shunsui answered peevishly. He watched Unohana tuck the last piece of bandage barely having even a peek of precious Nanao's skin. She looked fine save for the fact she was pale but her shitagi was stained.

_Stained._

Bright red blotches from her bleeding all across the abdomen and side. And Jyuu didn't think she should be restricted from combat?

"There you go. Are you sure you don't want anything for pain?" Unohana asked as she straightened up.

Nanao nodded. "It isn't that bad and I feel I'll be able to foresee possible complications without the interference of pan medicine."

"If you change your mind just come over and let me know. We're open all hours here and we can also discuss anything else that's on your mind too." Unhonana smiled gently and quietly excused herself from the room.

Nanao pulled the edges of her shitagi together, overlapping them properly but she would need to stand up and retie them, something she wasn't willing to do with two men in the room. Instead, she held it closed by crossing her arms securely. Nanao colored and quickly averted her eyes from the floor, Shunsui followed her gaze. Her breast bindings had apparently been cut off and lay in three of four short strips on the floor.

"Ise-san, how are you?" Jyuushiro asked stepping out from behind Shunsui.

"I'm fine, Captain. No major harm done. I'm sorry that we lost two men in the Division today, I believe it was an avoidable mistake."

"Unfortunately they may not be as unavoidable as you think. Our information about Hollows is updated daily and we make staffing decisions for missions based primarily on the field experience of our patrol leaders. But Hollows are an every changing group and are not often today the same as they were yesterday."

"I see."

"Feel free to take a couple days and rest. I'm sure today has been quite hard on you."

"That won't be necessary. I'll be at work tomorrow."

Shunsui watched as Jyuushiro seemed to consider whether he ought to argue with her or not and the two men exchanged a look when he looked up.

"Well, I'll leave such matters to your discretion. I ought to go and check on the others while I'm here." He gave a half-wave and headed for the doorway.

"Good afternoon, Captain." her tone was casual.

"What were you doing on a patrol mission?"

"I was invited to go this morning," she answered. "It was a good opportunity not only for combat experience but to get to know some of the Division members."

"And why do you need combat experience?"

"I'm sorry," she answered testily. "Should I reapply as a secretary?"

"You should come back to your job at 8th, where you belong, where I will prevent you from having your guts spilled out."

"Captain, my guts _weren't_ spilled out. That's excessive."

She wasn't taking this matter seriously enough. Didn't she understand? There was blood all over her and this wasn't _excessive?_ He wasn't sure what he wanted, what to do, what to say to her to make her understand. Frustrated, he slid his fingers up her nape, delving into her hair up the back of her head curling his fingers into the neat, silken locks on her head. Even injured she was _neat._ Angry, he pulled, forcing her body down onto the table where she'd probably been laying before he came in.

A tiny sound escaped her lips he couldn't put a word to. He followed her, leaning over the tiny, startled woman. His hand was still in her hair, holding her down. With the other he slid it beneath the open seam of her shitagi feeling warm, dry bandage.

"Nanao needs to come back to work" he breathed against her lips.

"I'm in the middle of several things right now that I need to finish. I can't just drop them."

"You dropped things to _leave_."

"I did not," she protested, turning her head away so their lips weren't so close together. Gently, he pulled her back.

"Yes, you did. Poor little Honda stuck trying to muck his way through your Advanced Kidou classes… all because you got pissed off I screened your challenges."

"Excuse me for being upset because you didn't think I was competent enough to hold my own position."

"If I didn't think you were competent, I'd get your sweet ass another job. Because no matter where you go, Nanao, you're mine. Mine now, mine always."

Her mouth opened but all that escaped was a startled gasp.

"Good girl," he murmured. "Don't argue truth, sweet Nanao."

Leaning a fraction closer, his lips touched hers. She tasted like the sweetest of heavens, his Nanao. Her mouth, soft and silky, her lips, the warm flush of her body beneath his. The hand on her belly slid higher, meeting more bandage as he went as his lips parted over hers, and hers beneath his. He could crawl onto the table with her and-

**KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK **

_"Hey Shun, Captain Unohana's on her way back." _

Shunsui drew back taking pleased note of her flushed cheeks and swollen lips. She needed to be kissed again.

Often.

She tasted delicious.

He straightened just before the door behind him opened and removed his hand discreetly from her shikgai. Hadn't gotten to touch anything particularly interesting but touching her anywhere was good.

"I'm sorry, I forgot one thing. I wanted to give you this." Captain Unohana held in her hands a little box. "Its just a few things of kling wrap for your abdomen but with your advanced level of kidou I'm sure you won't need this kind of thing for very long, if at all."

Captain Unohana was a wise woman if she already thought Nanao would be self-healing when she got home.

"Thank you," Nanao murmured. His hand was still in her hair, he probably ought to let her up, he thought idly, not moving to do so.

"If you need anything else, please let me know."

Nanao nodded, barely moving. Shunsui watched with interest as the lady Captain quietly left them.

"Why does she want to see you again?"

"No reason in particular, can I get up?" she was avoiding his gaze.

He disentangled his hand from her hair and instead slid it beneath her shoulders helping her to sit up. "I hope my Nanao-chan isn't thinking of removing anything." Leaning close, he whispered. "Every mark on her body should stay exactly where it is."

Gently, he kissed the shell of her ear and straightened noting how tight she was suddenly hlding her shitagi closed and the panicked expression on her face. "Captain- !"

"Jyuu wants to take you home, so I'll let you get dressed. I'd take you home myself, but I'd be less concerned about you getting rest than I ought to."

With one last heated look, he left her.

* * *

AN: I was originally going to reveal the tattoo to Unohana and then to Shunsui by accident but I rather like it this way.

shitagi - found referenced as the white undergarment beneath the black outer garment.


	31. Bubbles

One Hundred Ways to Love

31 of 100: Bubbles (snapshots)

* * *

Nanao relaxed deeper into the water. It was this side of hot but oh so soothing to her aching body. Captain Ukitake had walked her back after she insisted, rather forcefully, that she didn't need to be carried. She wasn't sure she could've taken the absolute embarrassment of being seen being carried through the streets of Soul Society. The rumor mill didn't need any free shots.

Before she'd crawled into her tub, she'd scrubbed. The bleeding had completely stopped now and there were only red, angry welts. They were raised up and swollen, and she was sure that one good rub would have them oozing again. Except for the puncture wound, that one was closed over and uglier than the others. It's half inch diameter looked like a raw scab. Nanao frowned and closed her eyes. Whatever she'd thought of her body previous to now, she certainly hadn't considered herself unattractive.

Not too much.

Her skin had been very pretty, save for that large ink dump on her back. When she got out of the bath she'd go to her library and try to dig up her medical books. It was a topic, though one covered, that she hadn't spent large amounts of time memorizing. There were four categories of kidou spells: hakudo, bakudo, medical, and other. Other, largely the "forbidden" kidou, would have one strung up the the Kidou Forces and brought before Central 46 on charges.

Sighing softly she tried to slow down her racing thoughts and just relax, but the more she tried the harder it was to concentrate on nothing. She thought of her medical books, of Captain Unohana, of Captain Ukitake, of Captain Kyouraku... the last brought an ache to places she didn't want to ache just then.

Kyouraku Shunsui… even his name sounded good tonight. She squirmed in the tub searching for more comfort and finding little. Nanao could still feel his fingers in her hair, the hard pressure against her scalp and the way he'd sucked the breath from her lungs.

That man…

* * *

Vice Captain Sasakibe peered down at the box of letters his secretary had brought in that morning. Due to the sheer volume of mail received at Division One headquarters all mail was pre-screened by the mail department. For almost two and a half weeks he had been receiving mail from miscellaneous sections of Soul Society, notably centered around Division Eight and Division Thirteen. The aides very helpfully grouped all like mail and attached an equally helpful "Summary" to the bin.

He had seen the bin in question. For the past two weeks he'd been watching the volume of letters in it slowly increase. A week ago the volume in the box had doubled in two days. The summary attached to the box was quite simple.  
_  
"Vice-Capain Ise's reassignment to Division Thirteen." _

Having expected the box to be full of complaints as he was always subject to _someone's_ complaints, he had ignored it. Now, as the contents began to tempt the edges of the box he was certain he'd have to start reading them. If there was one thing he couldn't stand, it was a mess. With a dramatic sigh, he reached for a letter quite at random and began to read.

"_Vice-Captain Honda is a cheater. If you want a rematch for our previous Vice, please sign and forward this letter."_

The next four pages were signatures.

* * *

It was rowdy and it had gotten rowdier since he'd sat down. With a sigh, Jyuushiro turned his eyes leftward to see Shunsui chatting with yet another girl. Given the number of bottles already empty it was a safe bet to assume that Shunsui was stressed.

Shunsui tapped the tabletop with an open palm. "Another round!"

People cheered.

Juushiro smiled thinly, having just seen Nanao home he was not in the mind to drink. He'd always liked handling problems or potential problems stone sober. "Don't you suppose you ought to slow down a bit?"

"No," the other man answered. "Tonight I want to pass out."

Jyuushiro frowned. "She wasn't injured that badly."

"I'm not worried about her injuries."

"Then what exactly is your problem tonight?" Jyuushiro took a moment to eye the empty bottles once more. He'd agreed to come down to the bar after dropping off Nanao, something they had discussed in the waiting room while she dressed, and Shunsui had already been on his third by then.

"I want my Nanao in bed with me but she's not ready to be there, so tonight I'm getting drunk," he answered softly. He paused to sip his liquor. "And maybe I'll find someone to have a little fun with and then pass out."

Jyuushiro sighed and stood. In the centuries he'd known the man Shunsui had changed very little. He liked to drink and he liked women and he and Nanao _weren't_ a couple so he wasn't cheating on his former Vice-Captain. "In that case I think I'm going to head out. I've no doubt that Ise-san will be in early and I want to make sure she isn't going to over-exert herself. Try not to overdo it yourself and maybe try stopping by your office for a few hours."

Shunsui raised his glass in acknowledgment before swallowing a mouthful. The empty place beside him wasn't empty long. Jyuushiro was in the building long enough to see a curvy woman curl up beside him.

* * *

"It wasn't really our fault."

"No, definitely not! It wasn't sealed when we got here."

"Or labeled. So maybe we ought to… you know… put it back since we definitely know it was not ours."

"Yes. It was on that desk."

"Yes! In the middle of that desk, sitting very innocently. Put it back, hurry!"

"Shut up, I'm putting it back."

"You shouldn't have read it!"

"You read it first, dim-wit."

"Don't insult me, you monkey-butt! How was I supposed to know it was personal?"

"I heard footsteps."

"Let's get out of here!"

* * *


	32. Assistance

One Hundred Ways to Love

32 of 100: Bubbles

* * *

She was staring something on her desk when he arrived. Taking a moment, he regarded her carefully. There were no lingering traces of pain and he could not assess for permanent disfigurement. Also, he was fairly certain that Shunsui would take particular offense to that kind of effort.

"Ise-san?"

When she looked up there was no surprise upon her features. He had not come upon her unawares. No stacks of documents were piled upon her desk, nothing save for one folded sheet of paper at which she was staring most attentively. "Good morning, Captain."

"Is something troubling you?"

Nanao took a moment to scoop up the letter and hold it up, writing toward him. "I received this on my desk."

"Oh? Is it a problem?" he came forward and she held it out in invitation and didn't answer.

_"My dearest, most precious Ise-san." _

"A personal letter?" he stopped and tried to hand it back. "Perhaps I ought not to be reading such a thing."

"Please read further."

Turning the paper around, he continued to read.

"_Your performance yesterday was a symphony. Without even drawing your sword, you demonstrated the strength and beauty that is being a shinigami. Death could never be dealt so swiftly, so perfectly except by your capable hands." _

At the bottom there was no signature, but a sketch of a several red flowers that had been very carefully painted in. Her performance had apparently attracted a secret admirer.

"I see," he answered, handing it back. "That is most interesting. Do you have a suspect?"

"No," she answered. "I've never encountered this kind of situation before."

Ukitake smiled down at her. "Well, apparently yesterday you were most impressive. I would be proud. Are you feeling well enough to work? You can, of course, return home should you need the time."

Nanao shook her head and folded up the letter. "It isn't necessary. But I will be out for a portion of this afternoon. I am checking in at Division Four. It was a request by Captain Unohana."

"Good, I'm glad you take your health seriously. I will be in my office, if you need anything, please come by."

* * *

No sooner head she arrived did she find herself shuffled into the back. A wayward scream reached her ears just before the attendant opened a door and escorted her inside. The office that awaited her was quiet and sedate. A bonsai sat on a nearby window sill.

"I hope you haven't waited long."

The door hadn't even closed behind the attendant before Captain Unohana had appeared. Nanao just shook her head. "I've just arrived."

"Isane was kind enough to make us some tea." The gentle Captain indicated the tea set on the desk and Nanao was invited to sit with her. "How are you since yesterday?"

"Better. I went through some of my books and did a little work, there are some faint marks remaining but the damage for the most part is healed."

"Did you have an interest in some cosmetic work? I know that one injury of yours in particular was quite long."

Nanao knew which injury she was referring to. The one that neatly bisected her chest and ran up one of her breasts. Perhaps indecently of her, she was proud of having gained such marks in battle, they were her first. Certainly they were a disfigurement to a female body, such as hers, whereas they'd have been a badge upon a male body, but Nanao had had a change of heart over the past few hours.

"I don't think that will be necessary," she answered as she reached for the tea Unohana had poured for her.

"Have you considered the other matter?"

Nanao averted her eyes and thought. Did she wish to remove that? "How long would that kind of thing take?"

"An hour or two, longer if you want a perfect removal as your skin is very fair."

"Is it a complex procedure?"

The Captain paused, considering. "I do not consider it so, but some of the techs do have a challenge when first learning how to manage it. Being as the situation is sensitive, I of course, would do yours myself."

Nanao sighed. "I do not know."

"Is it the procedure itself that bothers you?"

"No. I have full confidence in your abilities."

"But if you remove it, you will miss it?"

It wasn't as though she'd miss it, but if she took it off she'd be giving up the feelings that went with it. Could she say that out loud?

"I've never wanted anyone to see it but that has already happened. I fear other people find it, as unlikely as that is, and the consequences that may come from the assumptions that would surround such a marking."

There was an edge of concern in the Captain's eyes that hadn't been there before. "I know you are an accomplished kidou artist, Ise-san. I hope you have not marked yourself… illegally?"

It took a moment for Nanao to follow, her mind wandering way back into kidou volumes. Her knowledge of forbidden kidou wasn't as scant as it ought to have been. Certainly, Captain Unohana was not suggesting she'd performed any sacrificial kidou? The type that one tattooed onto their flesh?

"It is nothing so concerning. It is merely a name."

A name.

It was as close as she could get to stating what she'd done to herself aloud. It was farther than she'd come in ages. The concern in the Captain's eyes faded and another light, understanding, took its place. She was an intelligent woman; surely Nanao would have to spell out nothing for her.

"I see. If it is as I suspect I understand your concern. However, I would like to point out to you, though I'm sure you're aware, there are not fraternization laws regarding Division staffing and relationships, marriages even, do occur more often than not."

"Not usually in the same Division and certainly not among the top executive offices," Nanao argued.

Captain Unohana, unexpectedly, smiled at her. "You are so young, Ise-san, and very mature for your age. Your dedication to the rules no doubt serves Division Eight well, but you may be short changing yourself in being so selfless and making decisions that are unnecessary in nature."

What was there to say to that? Did Captain Unohana truly think it was appropriate? Nanao shifted and felt something crumple. From the folds of her tie at the waist she dug out her secret admirer note and frowned at it. Then, considering, she place it upon the table.

"I received this today."

In her quiet manner, the Captain took the offered note and read it, and returned it to the table in silence. They shared a long moment.

"I assume the sender of this note is not-?"

"No, not him," Nanao answered. She was positive it was not her former Captain, absolutely certain of it. While he was fond of notes and poetry his style was much more flowery.

"What do you think of it?"

"Sweet in a perverse manner of speaking, unless of course this type of missive is normal."

Nanao suspected that Captain Unohana was hiding a smile behind her teacup. "You are young, Ise-san. Perhaps while you are away from Division Eight, assuming your absence there is temporary, you might pick up a bit more experience in more than just field work."

Eyes wide, reached for the paper. Was she suggesting? While she had no real desire to go picking up men, maybe… well… maybe…

The whole scenario was a gigantic "maybe".

"I think I will consider that," she finally settled on saying. "As for the other thing, I will leave everything in place for now."

"My door is always open. I would like it very much if we could be friends, so please feel welcome here."

Touched, Nanao readily agreed. "Thank you so much."

* * *

AN: That's a plus for Captain Unohana, I didn't know I liked her. Note: Captain Unohana, Ukitake, and Kyoraku are considerable older than Nanao, give or take 2,000 years by manga timeline, so she is very young compared to the three of them. While I don't know the exact age of Unohana she is one of the oldest Captain's still around.

Darkangel1910- Your p.o.v is interesting, perhaps a bit more modern than my own. But you know what, that's a fantastic way to look at it, it was your review that inspired this next whole section of story. Let's explore that.


	33. Experiment

One Hundred Ways to Love

33 of 100: Experiment

* * *

_"You have no idea what you're talking about! That's no way to woo a woman!"_

_"And telling her she is the sun of your universe is a good idea? We're talking about Ise Nanao, that lady has-"_

_"Don't talk badly about Ise-san, you know he likes her! We're only trying to help! Give me the letter, __I will write it!!"_

* * *

The final day of injury week saw the previously unusable practice field return to an uncluttered condition. While there were still a few things to be done, namely the rebuilding of an equipment shed, the grand majority of the task was complete. The holes in the office walls had been repaired adequately and all the proper people had been disciplined though she'd tasked Kiyone and Sentaro for checking reports 3 months prior and all new ones coming in.

Miyado, chief accountant, had found himself outside of Nanao's good graces and the position was currently empty. To save herself the negative stigma caused by dismissing staff, she'd instead had him placed on the discharge and transfer list and he was quickly taken by Division Seven.

With the majority of her hand chosen tasks completed her ending week was leading her rapidly into boredom. She had received no new notes from her admirer, to her disappointment, and had had little contact with Captain Kyouraku. The latter had turned out to be a blessing as she'd heard he'd been partying all week and that, despite telling herself otherwise, rather stung.

Moreover, she had the distinct impression that both she and Captain Ukitake had both been carefully trying to avoid mentioning Captain Kyouraku. Their conversations had been pleasant but otherwise pointless exchanges of greetings. He had taken sick-leave a day ago and she hadn't seen him since and didn't expect to until next week at earliest.

With a sigh, she slumped forward, propping her elbows up on the desk.

"Vice-Captain?" Turning, she found Kiyone, singular, in her doorway looking sheepish. "May I bother you a quick moment?"

"How may I help you?"

She liked Kiyone well enough. They had been members of the Shinigami Women's Association since the founding but they'd had no real personal contact. She was no closer to Kiyone's sister Isane either. Nanao had always had this problem, connecting with other people. It was a hit or miss for her though it didn't seem to be as much so for other people. It was especially challening connecting to another woman.

"I found this and I thought I'd bring it to you."

There was a card in Kiyone's gloved fingers. Nanao's pulse jumped. That couldn't possibly be another secret letter, could it?

"Where did you find it?" Nanao asked as she reached for it.

"It was in the mailbox actually but I'm pretty sure it wasn't mailed since there's no postage on it."

"Thank you."

Watching Kiyone disappear out the door, she slit open the sealed envelope. Her last note had been open when she reached it though it hadn't looked breached, simply unsealed.

"_Dearest, loveliest Ise-san."_

It certainly seemed like the same person.

_"The hand of fate is most cruel that separates us among separate Divisions. There are no words to describe my longing for you-" _Here the ink smudged. _"Tales of your skills have reached even the lowest of places and I have heard that the rather stuck up Miyado was very gratefully removed. He was unworthy, my sweetest, of breathing the same air-"_

Nanao frowned and skimmed more of the same. The bottom line caught her eye.

_"I am most impatient and most cowardly by not revealing my name. But if you are interested, even in the tiniest amount please see it into your heart to meet with me. Even if it is only curiosity that drives you to me. I will be at Pagoda Square at ten pm this evening."_

Pagoda Square was a rather rundown district that specialized in black market products. Mostly things from the realm beneath them, the real world. Though, there would be coffee there, she speculated. She could always go down under the pretense of shopping. It wasn't necessarily necessary to meet with the hammy writer of these letters.

Pleased, Nanao tucked the letter away, not spotting Kiyone watching her discreetly from the back garden.

Tonight, she was going out and there was a 50 percent chance that there would be a man involved who was definitely not her Captain. It would, if it panned out, be real live _dating experience_. That sounded wrong, she thought, like she was a teenage girl straight out of the Academy halls. And it felt entirely too true to please her. She'd come to Division Eight a child and been beneath the protective wing of her Captain ever since.

She _was_ a girl straight out of the Academy. She sighed despondently.

* * *

At nine pm, Nanao left her house, a quiet, composed mass of nerves. The Padoga Square was at least a half hour walk from her house and she didn't need the extra time to speculate but she was going to get it one way or another. Rickshaws didn't frequent her area of Soul-Society, large in part due to the narrow streets and general lack of customers.

Before she was ready, she was at the entrance to the Square amidst the colored lights, thinning crowds and corner sales. She hadn't been down to this place for years, hadn't wanted to either, she noted dryly noting an exorbitant price nearby for tea bags.

Heading in, she wondered exactly how she was supposed to recognize this person who was sending her these letters. The most straightforward thing would be to come up and talk to her, wouldn't it? What if the person writing her was a coward? Or an idiot like that fellow Aramaki that had come to retrieve Kusajishi from a Shinigami Women's meeting that one time?

With a scowl she headed for a tiny mart near an electronics booth. A row of glittery watches were outside with a vendor. He smiled as she approached show a row of straight teeth. "Need a watch, lady?"

"No," she answered briskly. "I am looking for coffee."

"Ah… no, no. I don't sell that."

It seemed to be all he was going to offer on the subject and she swept by him into the shop next to him, her original target anyway. Whilst looking over the two rows in the shop, Nanao wondered if he was out there. Should she leave?

Finding no coffee she reluctantly stepped back into the street, nearly bumping into the watch vendor. Missing him on the left she was unfortunate enough to bump into another person on the right. When the flash of white caught her eye, she nearly panicked thinking she'd come upon a Captain, or worse, Captain Kyouraku.

A hand caught her shoulder, straightening her back onto her feet and her eyes went automatically up.

Male.

Shinigami.

White coat?

Division… Twelve?

Looking at him, Nanao found herself frowning. Didn't she know this person?

"Are you all right Vice-Captain Ise?"

"Fine," she answered softly. "You work for Division Twelve." It was more an accusation than a question she noted afterward. Was this the person sending her letters? If he was, how did she like that?

"Yes," he answered, his steady eyes were trained on her face. They were gold and there were horns. Her contact with the staff of other departments was somewhat limited as she rarely had the time. "I am Akon; I work in the Research Department."

"Oh, of course. You're a gigai-scientist, I've heard of you." Legitimately, she had heard of him. He was supposed to be quite exceptional at his job. Of course, she'd never known what he looked like, save for now, though she did recall having seen him before. Surely they hadn't spoken before?

He inclined his head, seeming interested. "I do other things, but yes."

"Are you the person sending letters?" If he wasn't going to be direct, she _wa_s.

His expression didn't as much as flicker. "Letters?"

Or maybe not. She opened her mouth to excuse herself when a voice came from the… roof?_ "Yes! The letters are from Akon…"_

Nanao was confused and looked up. He looked up with her. "Rin! What are you doing?"

"Trying to get you a date, be more helpful and compliment Ise-san!"

Nanao couldn't see who was on the roof and didn't want to. Having spent all day with Kiyone and Sentaro she really wasn't in the mood for more group antics. "If you'll excuse me-"

"Wait."

She turned back halfway, glanced up to see a little white face peering down at them, and then looked back at the horned man.

"Letters that I did not write aside, would you like to take a walk with me?"

How much worse could it get, she wondered? It was only forty-five minutes after nine and she didn't have work tomorrow. And how dangerous could a person from the Research Department actually be?

She agreed.

* * *

It was the gasp that drew his attention. Eavesdropping was not behavior fit for a Captain, certainly but the person was so alarmed. What if it was important?

_"She's dating, are you sure?"_

_"Don't be stupid! I know what I saw!"_

_"You are stupid. Who was it?"_

_"Akon, the guy with the horns and no eyebrows that never smiles… you know the one, don't you?"_

_"The guy who looks kind of like a half-breed ogre?"_

_"Shut up! Don't say that so loud!"_

_"She's dating that guy?"_

_"Saw it myself."_

_"Ise-san and Akon… can you imagine that? Maybe he's doing a research project on the mating habits of shinigami for Captain Kurotsuchi – that guy's a freak."_

Straightening, Ukitake frowned. Ise was dating?

Oh my.

* * *

AN: Didn't want to use an OC - I've enough of them already so I picked someone there. I'm aware there's a fan Akon/Hisagi pairing but since I'm just borrowing him I don't see the problem. Plus I think those guys look so much alike that the pairing is a little weird. Anyway... Akon is very stoic, so I'm not sure what he sees in Nanao yet, we'll have to see. And maybe introduce the letter writers, Rin and Hiyosu, if you didn't guess that. I don't know how many people remember him let alone his assistants.


	34. Flowers

One Hundred Ways to Love

34 of 100: Flowers

* * *

He wasn't what she expected, that was for sure. Akon had a very keen mind and very sharp eyes and he watched everything carefully, as if analyzing. Maybe she was stereotyping him unfairly; people did it very often to her.

The man wasn't much of a stellar conversationalist but when they spoke their conversations had been interesting. Just yesterday she'd had dinner with him, at Division Twelve, and they'd discussed new model gigai features. He didn't flirt outrageous, or… well, at all. Very respectfully, he called her Ise-san, with no cutesy additions.

All in all, she was confused. Glancing over his library collection, a selection of high level tomes that detail physical sciences, she looked back at him to find those golden eyes watching her.

"You didn't write the letters?"

He shook his head. "I've no talent for that kind of penmanship."

She had the feeling he'd have liked to have said, "I've no _interest_, in that kind of penmanship" but didn't call him on it. Now, milling around his room she wondered what she ought to do about him. He was an interesting enough person but he certainly didn't ignite the kind of reaction in her that Captain Kyouraku did. Perhaps it was simple science. Maybe she and Captain Kyouraku were compatible on a different level than she and Akon.

Looking away she found a row of preserved specimens on a shelf and peered inside. "Why do you have flowers here?"

She heard the shuffle of his feet. "I admire the fact that such beautiful things are deadly. This, for instance," he picked up a jar where inside a beautiful bloom was suspended in clear fluid. "… is the jade bellflower, to eat it or any of its parts causes insanity."

"And you find this fascinating enough to keep them in your private quarters?"

"Do you not?"

"No. If you will excuse my bluntness there is a matter about which I am curious."

"By all means, Ise-san, how may I add to your knowledge?"

"Is there a biological function for the horns on your forehead?"

* * *

"Captain Ukitake."

Glancing up, the white haired Captain found his visitor had a stack of magazines. "Ah, Hisagi-san! Ise-san has organized a ladies outing today, would you care to watch a while?"

Peering over the hill he glanced down at the women below, divided into groups, sparring. "Does she know you're spying?"

"Well, I don't think she'd object if I did. Sit?"

The younger man took a seat, handing over the mail to the Captain. "Oh, my new Gourmet Shinigami is here!"

"Is Vice-Captain Ise on assignment in Division Twelve?"

The unexpected question surprised Ukitake and he looked up from his magazine. "On assignment?"

"I've heard she's been spending some time there."

Hisagi was very carefully watching the women below. Glancing down, Ukitake followed his eyes and found he wasn't _watching them_ he was watching _her._ A quiet grin met his lips.

"I believe she's had some personal interest taking her there."

A sort of troubled expression brewed on Hisagi's face. "So she's really dating him? Akon, of Research."

"That's an interesting thought. Where did you hear that?" Were there rumors sprouting up already? Had Shunsui already heard them?

"Iba told me. He saw them together a few nights ago eating at some little place in Pagoda Square. Is it the truth? Is she really single?"

Ukitake met the man's gaze. "It was my understanding that Ise-san was never attached to anyone."

Hisagi seemed to pause at that. "But she worked for Captain Kyouraku. I assumed…"

"You assumed?"

"With the way he's sort of always around her and flirting with her, I assumed she was off limits."

Ukitake's grin returned. "Oh, this is fabulous."

"Excuse me?" Hisagi's deadpan stare dimmed his enthusiasm.

"I assure you that Ise-san is very much available and I encourage you, if you're interested, to ask her out. Between us, I doubt she's very compatible with Akon. It's like having a large slice of dry cake; one needs milk to ease it down, not another slice of cake, right?" Ukitake laughed, delighted, and Hisagi stared.

"Does Captain Kyouraku know she's available?"

Ukitake's grin grew even wider. "Very astute question, Hisagi-san. Not yet, but I wouldn't let it distract you. After all, it's his own fault and I think he definitely needs to learn a lesson here."

"So basically you're encouraging me to get my ass kicked."

"Well anything can be a gamble. Ise-san is most definitely dating and I do not see how Shunsui can prevent that, even if he doesn't like it. Also, consider, Shunsui has had his fair share of lady company the past week, hasn't he?"

"No more than usual."

"In all truth, they have been too close to one another too long and it is Ise-san who has suffered from this arrangement. This separation should be good for her; I would like to see her receive the attention she rightly deserves, attention I now believe that Shunsui has very intentionally kept away from her."

Hisagi said nothing.

"In any case, if you decide not to risk it, pass it on that she's available, would you? Please do not mention anything about Shunsui. I think I will tell him about this myself."

* * *

AN: Error, his eyes aren't golden. I can't get a feel for Akon x Nanao.


	35. Learning By Experience

One Hundred Ways to Love

35 of 100: Learning By Experience

* * *

Honda stared at his "office" dispassionately. Everything he "owned" was pushed up against one wall and in the middle of the floor was a giant, leaning stack of papers. It looked like every paper that had been in the office itself: from the cabinets, the desk, the bins, everywhere. Numbly he felt himself swaying. How long had he been staring at the monstrosity?

"Honda-san!"

A large hand clapped down on his shoulder and almost knocked him off his feet. Compared to the six foot something Captain, he was a lightweight.

"Good morning, Captain Sir."

"This is the third time this week I've been informed of a problem in your office."

"Yes, Sir, I know that," Honda answered lowly. The first time his furniture had been _missing._ It was later discovered on the roof. The second time the furniture had been precariously stacked on top of one another, which later fell. Several items of note were now broken beyond repair with no immediate office funds available for replacements.

"Honda," Captain Kyouraku clapped his shoulder again. "Come down to my office."

Standing with his back straight, Honda tried to pretend he didn't know the lobby secretaries had just heard all and that it would be gossip for the next week. Down the hall, he was welcomed to his Captain's quarters. Previous to his becoming Vice-Captain it hadn't been much used. The Captain now spent much of his alone time here when he was on site.

"Honda-san, you're having a hard time here. It's only been three weeks."

"Yes, Sir, I know."

"Your authority is being affronted."

"Yes, Sir, I know."

"What do you intend to do about it?"

Sighing rather despairingly, Honda shrugged. "I don't know. I tried tracking down the trouble-makers but anyone who knows anything refuses to talk. I ended up punishing a group of over 60 last time and it only made me look worse." He sneaked a peek up to see his Captain was watching him. Honda hadn't been too sure, since that initial punch in the face from his Captain, what the older man thought of him. Usually, he just gave him space.

"Why did you want this job if you very clearly aren't prepared for it?"

Huffing, Honda crossed his arms. His reasons had been… well… shallow, he reflected now. The office under Ise Nanao had been a smooth machine, run perfectly in sync by all the staff. She had never seemed like she did much except boss people around all the time and teach a couple classes. It wasn't like she did any real _work._

Or… that's what he'd thought then. Now, with the front door of the building still busted, equipment wrecked in the combat halls, uniform damages apparently totaling, and this utter lack of respect he wasn't sure what to do or think about anything. Apparently the previous Vice had coordinated everything and he simply didn't freaking know _how. _It was becoming increasingly obvious that without someone like Ise Nanao to work for you, living like Captain Kyouraku simply wasn't possibly.

"I don't know, Sir," he finally answered at length.

"You've got ten days to think of something."

Swallowing dryly, he voiced his fears. "What happens in ten days, Sir?"

"Then I'm putting you on administrative leave. Unpaid."

"I see," Honda answered with a frown.

"Oh, and lastly, I have accepted a challenge. Tomorrow afternoon, Third Seat Enjōji Tatsufusa , will be your challenger."

It was rapidly going from just bad, to very bad, to impossibly bad in seconds. Did any one man possess as much sheer bad luck as he?

Finding himself excused, Honda wandered from the Captain's office, down a partially littered hall toward the battered front door and slid it open noting how it creaked and groaned and stopped half way. All the larger members had been forced to use another entrance. Before he could slink away with his shame, one of the secretaries called out.

"Vice-Captain Honda, will you be returning today?"

Glumly, he answered. "I don't know."

Maybe he'd throw himself in a river.

* * *

"Yo! It's the little man from Eight!"

Honda looked up to tell off his new companion when he met the sharp points of Abarai Renji's smile. And he wasn't alone. With him Iba from Seven and Hisagi from Nine piled across from him.

"Drinkin' away your problems this early?"

Honda wasn't sure how to answer that. He found Abarai a little menacing with all the tattoos and Hisagi equally so. Iba, with the stern sunglasses and permanent glower wasn't any friendlier.

"Uh… just taking a break."

Was his karma polluted?

"Wish I could take that kinda break. Captain Kuchiki would roast my ass."

"He'd probably roast you for even smelling of liquor," Iba noted.

"What are you all doing here?" Honda wondered, thinking of how he could escape.

"Lunch, little man," Abarai grinned.

"It's ten in the morning," Honda pointed out, rather futilely as they weren't paying attention.

"Pre-lunch then. Men need to eat," Iba offered. "So who you hidin' from?"

"I'm not hiding," Honda sputtered, straightening his shoulders.

"Little man is trying to bullshit us."

Iba made another off color remark that Honda missed as he noted Hisagi was staring a hole through him. He needed to get out of here.

"Have you seen Vice-Captain Ise lately?"

Hisagi's quiet, even toned question caught Honda off guard and silenced Abarai and Iba.

"I haven't seen her since the Vice meeting," Honda answered wondering why the other man was asking.

"She doesn't come over to Division Eight at all?"

"No. Not that I know of."

"What's with you and that chick?" Iba wondered, crossing his arms.

"Yeah? You interested?" Abarai queried from the other side.

"Haven't you heard? Ise-san is dating Akon from Twelve," Hisagi offered.

"Dating?" Iba scoffed. "Does she even know how to handle a-"

"I thought she was shacking up with Captain Kyouraku."

"Captain Ukitake confirmed that she is officially single."

"You interested?" Abarai asked, again.

"What the hell for she-"

Hisagi slanted a glance at the man on his right. "What is your problem with Ise?"

"Besides the fact that the woman keeps gutting our Men's Association Budget, one year at a festival I attended I told her she had a nice figure and she dumped a goldfish in my crotch."

Poor goldfish, Honda thought, who was sensible enough to keep his mouth shut lest his face end up smeared on the table.

"You sure she ain't shacking up with Captain Kyouraku? Just 'cause Captain Ukitake said so and I ain't saying he's a liar but Rukia tells me her Captain has a funny sense of humor."

Hisagi shrugged on shoulder and Abarai looked over at Honda as he started to rise.

"If you'll excuse me, I should really return-"

"Yo, little man. We heard your furniture got put on the roof. That was pretty damn funny." Abarai was grinning again and the grin spread to Iba.

"Re-challenge Ise-san to gain the respect of your soldiers or give up the chair," Hisagi gruffly answered standing before Iba could offer a lewd comment.

_"Oi! Wait for us!"_

_"We didn't get any lunch!" _

Left alone, Honda sighed. Did he want to re-challenge Ise-san or just face the third seat tomorrow and lose?

On purpose.

* * *

AN: Well I'm off today and I think I'll be all alone today so I'm going to try to write. But after Tuesday I'm working till Friday so I won't write again until Friday and when November starts... that's Nanowrimo so I'm not sure I'll write at all during that period, just to warn you. I was trying to finish this before but I don't think that's going to happen.


	36. Contract

One Hundred Ways to Love

36 of 100: Contract

* * *

Shunsui yawned lazily. "Do you follow the rumor mill?"

Jyuushiro continued to comb through his hair with his fingers. Shunsui had interrupted his morning routine by showing up just after sunrise. He doubted the other man had been to sleep yet as there were telling circles under his eyes and he was looking a little unsteady, even sitting. Very likely he'd been up drinking all night and had yet to head to bed. "Rarely," he answered. "Are you planning on sleeping today?"

"In a little while," Shunsui brushed it off. "I heard something interesting this morning."

Jyuushiro had been biding his time in telling the other man about Nanao. It was entirely possible that rumor of her dating had finally reached the Captain. "Really? Nothing pertaining to me, I hope?"

"In a way of sorts… Are you helping my Nanao-chan pick up men?"

Jyuushiro thought of it a long moment and couldn't contain his mirth. He laughed. The image was too ludicrous as he imagined himself and a colorful sign, "_Date this woman today!" _ "You don't think she can pick up men all on her own?"

Shunsui was looking thunderous and with him drunk, Jyuushiro decided that mirth wasn't the best way to handle the situation. He could be too unpredictable when drunk and the situation was sensitive enough on its own. Shunsui had the picky habit of being possessive, not in general as he liked to share, but posesseive of Nanao in particular.

"Well, no, I'm not helping her at all. I was merely asked the other day whether you and she were an _item _to which I replied you were not. You are not, are you?"

Looking even less pleased, Shunsui answered. "No."

"Then I answered correctly. If you are _not _an item then she is a free woman to do as she pleases."

"And so she has been making the rounds among officers?"

Was that what he'd heard? If rumors were circulating to that degree the situation was clearly out of hand. Jyuushiro paused. "I highly doubt it. As I was last aware she was still seeing Akon, the only man I know for certain she has accepted a date from. Hisagi asked about her but I think he is too leery of you to make a move just yet. Though if it makes you feel any better I think she and Akon are nearing an end of their little courtship. Too incompatible romantically."

"Really," Shunsui remarked dryly.

"Well, far be it from me to assume greater knowledge of the woman than yourself, but Akon is a well educated man but perhaps too much of a somber one. But it certainly seems as if her time out of Eighth has done wonders for her. When is the last time she dated anyone?" he asked casually.

"I've no idea."

"Has she _ever_ dated anyone?"

"…"

"Ise-san has been in your Division since she graduated from the Academy and I remember quite clearly she was a child at that point. Instead of being grumpy she's entertaining other men, why don't you look at it for the opportunity it is?"

"How is it that other men out with my Nanao an opportunity for _me?_ I don't want her out with anyone else."

"You can't have things both ways, Shunsui. She's yours exclusively or she's not, there's no in between. And if she's not yours she certainly has the right to find someone who does want her exclusively."

"When did I say I didn't want her exclusively?"

"When have you shown her that you do?"

"When have I shown her I don't?" he countered.

Jyuushiro sighed. "I believe it has much to do with your flirting and drinking and sleeping around."

"I don't sleep around, I have one or two girls … anyway, how do you talk to a woman without flirting with her?"

Again Jyuushiro laughed. "What's the harm in dating a bit? As it is you're the only man she's ever really had any kind of experience with if I'm correct, maybe she should see if being with you is what she truly wants? I trust that you want what is best for her."

"Other men are not best for her."

"Yes, but does _she_ know that?" Jyuushiro knows.

"She knows it," Shunsui answered. "But fine. I'll give her a week or two."

"I'm not sure that's really-"

"A week or two," Shunsui pressed firmly. "And at that point any of her pansy ass suitors had better be ready for a fight."

"Well," Jyuushiro pondered. That hadn't gone too bad. Maybe a change of topic would help. "How is Honda-san doing?"

"Probably going to get canned today, my third seat is challenging him."

"If he wins are you still letting Ise-san re-challenge in two months?"

"Nothing will stop my Nano-chan from re-challenging in two months."

* * *

If she were less of an early riser, Nanao would've been awakened by the pounding at her front door at barely dawn. As it was, she had already showered and dressed for work and was working on breakfast when the knocking started. Pulling open the battered door she met a bleary eyed Honda Kano.

"Vice-Captain Ise it is so great to see you this morning. Has anyone told you that you are beautiful upon awakening?" He had the most curious expression on his face and his hands were clasped tightly together. She peered beyond him to the street. Was he hiding from someone? How did he know where she lived?

"If you are a fugitive, Honda-san, I highly suggest you seek solace elsewhere. It is my duty to uphold the law of Soul Society, I will immediately arrest you."

A droplet of sweat beaded on his forehead. "N-no, Ma'am. I am here to plead for your assistance. Please come back to Division Eight. I am unworthy. I don't want to be Vice-Captain anymore."

Nanao pushed her glasses up higher onto the perch of her nose. "That is not my problem. Please see the current Captain of your Division for assistance."

"You _must_ come back. I am a pariah. Everyone treats me like garbage. Our paperwork is behind. The building is damaged; you can't even get the front door open properly."

Nanao's brow twitched.

"The secretaries sit around and gossip about _me_ all day. People are piling their damaged uniforms in the lobby room for repairs."

Nanao's brow twitched again.

"Worst of all the Captain is suspending me in ten days without pay if I don't fix it all."

"That's unusually strict of him," she remarked dryly. "Your ineptness must've actually forced him to _work."_

"And the Third Seat is challenging me today. TODAY, Vice-Captain Ise. I don't want to die like this; I just wanted to be popular!"

"That's pathetic."

"I know, I know! Please help me!"

She furrowed her brow. "How, exactly, should I do that?" Crossing her arms, she waited for an answer.

"Come back to Eighth! You can fight the Third Seat; I will crawl back into my place in obscurity! I'll take night duty for a month, a year even!"

"Those terms are unappealing for me."

Honda looked up. "I'll do _anything._"

"Anything?"

"Yes, yes, _anything_," he pleaded.

Nanao thought.

Anything? That was promising.

* * *

AN: Originally I had Nanao marching Honda back to 8 after he started telling her all the things he'd done to the place but that would be too early. Plus, I'm sure she wouldn't just walk out on Ukitake like that.

AN2: It was Iba and the goldfish, sorry that was unclear. Nanowrimo is a novel writing contest from Nov 1-30. The goal is to get to 50,000 words before the month is over, this is my 4th year participating. But typically the effort is so taxing I rarely write anything else during that time period. Eventually I'd like to try a fanfic version.


	37. Crown

One Hundred Ways to Love

37 of 100: Crown

* * *

He was nervous.

There were no overt signs, no hand wringing, no changing facial expressions. Rather, he was standing ramrod straight looking for all the world as if he was prepared. Honda marched along beside her, his eyes straight ahead, his hands at his sides.

Nanao could tell, she could almost feel his fear like a thrum across her skin. Had she become more perceptive or was he simply being obvious? Their morning together had been productive, albeit short. After notifying Division Thirteen that she would be late, she had escorted the young Vice-Captain over to Division Eight. The walk had been short and familiar, one she had taken alone for years. With Honda caught up in his misery it hadn't been much different.

After she had a look around she had business to attend to at Thirteen office and then she had volunteered to visit the Academy and lead an advanced class Hollow hunt. It was something she hadn't done in ages and the risk was moderately low for injury. It also provided her the all important field experience was eager to acquire more of. She wanted her next battle for placement to be an exciting one and if she could pull her sword for a little action that might be nice too. After all, it wouldn't do for the others to forget that she possessed it, even if she often chose to forgo using it.

Now as they were in sight of the front door, he was becoming increasingly anxious. "You're sure this will work?" he asked again. He'd already asked three times.

Nanao was certain the technique she'd taught him would work. "If it doesn't, what do you have to lose? You don't want to be Vice-Captain anymore," she reminded him already halfway up the pathway. He had stopped walking with her. She hadn't stopped with him. Pulling open the door she was introduced to just how "broken" it was and shot Honda a nasty look. "Fix the door."

"There's no money to fix the door," he grumbled.

"Then I suggest you cut a program somewhere to _make_ money for it. Even Division Eleven doesn't have a defunct front door."

She slid inside without waiting for him to answer her and he followed after her sheepishly. The secretaries inside the front doors all straightened when they saw her and chirped their good mornings.

"Is Captain Kyouraku in?" she asked, peering around. Except for the damaged front door the place wasn't falling part right in front of her.

"No, ma'am. He is not yet here," Suki answered.

Nanao tossed a backward look at Honda. "Go and practice."

"What will you do?" he asked.

The question insulted her. He might've had the right to ask as he was acting Vice-Captain of the Division but she didn't like it. To question her in that manner felt like insubordination.

"I'm going to see if the courtyard is ready. With you doing nothing and Captain Kyouraku probably doing nothing, I expect _nothing _has gotten done around here."

Nanao ignored the giggling of the secretaries and kept right on walking. He deserved to lose, she thought, and then amended that thought. Honda might deserve a loss but her former Third Seat was not the one who should be giving it to him. She would help him preserve his ranking long enough that she could strip him of it herself.

* * *

"Honda!"

The young man jumped as the door behind him slid open and Captain Kyoraku walked in. The small side room had been empty for a while and he'd adopted it for less practice than to hide. He wasn't quite up to meeting anyone's eyes just yet or their comments about his impending match.

"Have you prepared?"

"Yes, Sir, I have practiced hard." Honda didn't dare mention Vice-Captain Ise.

"Good. Come outside, we are all waiting."

That didn't bode well, he thought. His challenge with Vice-Captain Ise had been a public Division Eight event. The whole group was going to see him humiliate himself to win. Did he want to do this? Fear curled in his belly. Anxiously, he followed the path of his Captain out the door and toward the back courtyard. He could hear the taunting now._ "Cheater, cheater, sandal eater..." _

Stepping in to the hall he inadvertently stepped into a very private conversation. At least, that's what it looked like with Captain Kyouraku's hand cupping Vice-Captain Ise's face… and that's what it meant to him. Because his Captain had very big hands and while they might not mean Ise-san any harm, those hands meant something a little more dangerous for him.

"Challenge matches for Division seats are typically Division only members, so I will not be watching you."

Honda found himself nodding.

"Good luck then."

Her words sounded like a dismissal and seeing as the Captain was paying him no mind whatsoever he was eager to head out. He supposed that Captain Kyouraku could've made an exception for her but she didn't seem eager to stay and watch. He was really less ready to head out than he was to escape something that looked so… intimate.

Quickly, he stepped out the back door.

* * *

"You came here just to see Honda?"

"I came to see how the place looked. I've heard some things I didn't like," Nanao answered. "Why have you not insisted the front door be fixed?"

"Why are you spending time with that idiot from Twelve?"

"Akon is a highly educated man, we have very interesting discussions."

"Is that what you want out of a man in your free time, dry scientific discussions?" the hand pressing against her cheek traced gently down her cheek and over the back of her shoulder.

Was discussion what she wanted out of a man in her free time? Her answer came in the form of a fine tremble as his fingers followed the line of her spine. His dark eyes promised more than he could give her in the public hall of Division Eight.

"You need to go outside," she reminded him.

"When are you dumping the scientist?"

"I'm not dumping him, Akon and I are friends and that is all."

"Were you helping Honda?"

"There are no rules that say I cannot."

Captain Kyouraku grinned at her and he leaned down to press a quick, chaste kiss to her cheek. "My precious Nanao-chan." Quite suddenly, he closed his arms around her shoulders and squeezed her to his chest. Pressed suddenly to his bare skin, her nose to his chest, she was reminded, with one deep breath, how good he smelled.

Familiar.

A streak of homesickness hit her. How long had she been in this place that his smell made her think of _home? _

A chorus of giggles behind them caused her to tense. "Captain, please release me."

"Nanao-chan needs to visit more often."

"I do not have time-" she started and his arms tightened. It didn't hurt but it pressed her more firmly against his body. How long had it been since she'd touched his _much_ of him? She trembled.

"Promise you'll visit or I'm not letting go."

"I'll visit," she answered stiffly.

"When?"

More giggles.

It was no wonder, really, Nanao thought. They were blocking the hall, so anyone behind them could not get out, they were stuck unless they went outside and around the building. She sighed, releasing a puff of hot breath against his chest.

"How about Wednesday?"

"We can have lunch?"

"Certainly, Captain, we can have lunch if you're awake."

Releasing her slowly she found his expression a little confusing. "I'll be awake. Don't make me come look for you, Nanao," he warned.

Sliding past him narrowly, she called back. "That won't be necessary. If you'll recall, I'm the punctual one."

* * *

What Nanao had done for Honda wasn't immediately apparent. The young man was quite good at blocking, less talented at attacking, and proficient enough with kidou that he had managed to bind Enjōji. Twice.

Enjōji possessed enough raw strength and determination that he'd broken the kidou both times and Honda was becoming noticeably winded. The crowd continued to cheer.

"Hadou: number twenty-nine." Honda purposely whispered leaving the crowd wondering as a cloud suddenly sprouted up around him.

Boos erupted in the crowd as the cloudy puff began to fade and then multiply forming puffs around Enjōji. When blonde heads popped out of the dust the booing quieted as they watched in fascination. Bright blue eyes set in those blonde heads and curved coral lips grinned… long, thin limbs, arms and legs and foggy mists around the waists…

"They're naked!" someone exclaimed from the crowd. "Go Honda!"

"Crest of the golden moon," Honda called softly, his hands folded. The blonde copies mouthed the words with him.

Enjōji gaped.

The air exploded.

No one saw Enjōji fell as much as they saw the dust rise from his body hitting the ground; the fog had spread when the blondes disappeared after the final kidou cast. Captain Kyoraku watched quietly, waiting for the victorious Honda to approach him. The younger man was trembling with excitement over his victory.

"I can't believe it, I can't believe it," he proclaimed, looking as if he were in disbelief at his own victory. "Captain Kyouraku, Sir."

"Congratulations," he offered the younger man. He wondered, without Nanao, if Honda would've been able to pull it off. Nanao knew a thousand kidou spells and probably a thousand more that didn't fit into the Bakudo and Hadou categories, so her tweaking of Hadou 29 didn't surprise him, but he was disappointed.

Nanao was a strong woman who fought more with kidou than most shinigami who oft depended upon their zanpakuto. Honda had won the fight not because of his own effort but because of Nanao's ingenuity and _her_ ability to use kidou and _her_ ability to pass those skills onto others. He frowned.

Most such matches curried up good cheer and cause for celebration. Today he felt like napping.

* * *

AN: I'm not a Naruto fan but "sexy no jutsu" was what I had in mind for Nanao's tweaking of hadou 29. Now, I'm off to write 38. What I'm thinking here is that maybe its Nanao who needs to be jealous. I hate writing jealous characters, but what if she's taking advantage of the fact that he's always sorta been there?

Sorry to say the whole Hisagi thing is not working out for me. I just have no feel for the guy whatsoever.

Brighit R. Gauthier: the Nanao pick on your profile link without glasses won't work for me, it says it can't be found.


	38. Black tea

One Hundred Ways to Love

38of 100: Black Tea

* * *

Having tea with her Captain wasn't something she was accustomed to doing. Despite that, she found it a relaxing break from sitting in her office reading over expense reports. Though Kiyone and Sentaro had been checking the records Nanao could simply not sit still long enough to do _nothing._

Now, at least she was occupied by keeping an eye on Captain Ukitake. Kiyone and Sentaro were apparently upset that he was overtaxing himself. Nanao wasn't sure what he was supposedly overtaxing himself _on_ because he had been out of work the last three days. Far be it from her to begrudge the man his sick days but she didn't need a half hour lecture from the two Third Seats on why he needed to rest and she needed to have tea with him.

"Are you unwell today?"

Captain Ukitake lifted his head to look at her. He'd been staring quietly into his tea for several long moments. "I'm feeling much recovered actually. Kiyone and Sentaro are simply worriers. You do not have to stay, I'm sure there's something else you could be doing."

Nanao shook her head. In truth, there was nothing for her to be doing. The boredom was beginning to take its toll. At least in Eight she had never encountered this type of boredom.

"You're bored with us, aren't you?" he asked.

Captain Ukitake was the epitome of genuine and to lie to him was an insult.

"The staff here is much more self-reliant than I am used to. It leaves me with little to do."

"Please do not feel that you need stay because you promised that you would do so for a certain term. Shunsui would be beside himself with joy that you came back early and I'm sure it would ease Honda-san's mind a bit from what I've heard of the matter."

Nanao sighed. "I couldn't. I decided there were things I wished to do here when I started and I have not yet accomplished all of them."

"Are these things that you cannot due in Division Eight itself?"

She shook her head. "I would not have the time and Captain Kyouraku believes there are some things that women should not do."

Patrol. Combat. Killing.

He did not like her to engage in such activity. She was never sure exactly if it was because he didn't like to see women involved in the harsh activities or if he simply didn't want to risk her being injured.

"It is not something dangerous?"

Now, he too, looked concerned and Nanao sighed. "No."

"Do not think me too old-fashioned, Ise-san. I know we have not been close friends but we have been acquainted a very long time I would not like to see you injured again."

"It is not possible to go through life avoiding injury and certainly not life like this one."

"You went on a Hollow hunt yesterday with some of the Academy students, how did that turn out?" he asked, a turn of topic, if only by degrees.

"Favorably. There are many promising students and there were no injuries."

"Have you ever considered applying to be a teacher?"

"I've thought of it," she answered. Truthfully, there were too many things she'd miss to leave in such a way. "I've decided I'm going to visit Karakura Town in two days."

The announcement clearly surprised him. "Is there any particular reason why?"

"There is training session being held in the Community Park. Apparently, Karakura Town has a high number of instances of Hollow activity."

"Ah. Are you going as participant or teacher?"

"Participant. It's a leadership seminar on inspiring battle tactics and how to lead troops successfully."

"Forgive me for saying so, but why do you need such a class?"

"It is never possible to predict what skill set will be necessary for the future. If you please, I would prefer you not tell Captain Kyoraku."

"Oh?" Ukitake's mouth curved. "Is it a secret?"

"It is not, but I would ismply prefer not to discuss it with him."

"Well," he answered. "That sounds fine. Please notify me of any problems."

She nodded. "Certainly, although since this is a standard exercise, I do not foresee any."

* * *

"Lunch, lunch with my Nanao."

He was singing and she hadn't even stepped inside yet. Sighing, she pushed open the door and scowled at the bent track. It still wasn't fixed?

"Nanao is here."

She wasn't sure what her expectations had been when they'd decided to have lunch. Probably something quick and served with alcohol as Shunsui could be impatient when he was hungry. Instead, she was swept into his office where his furniture had been pushed aside to make room for three low tables and a bunch of cushions.

And company.

She blinked in surprise. "Captain-"

"We're having a lunch party!" he exclaimed.

Nanao was ushered in and sat next to her former Captain. He pulled her scandalously close, though she tried to scoot away, and her efforts toward propriety got her his arm around her waist.

Across from them, Matsumoto was grinning like a cat with cream, Renji and Hisagi were arguing about something, Kiyone and Sentaro were glaring and then the door opened to admit Captain Ukitake. Abruptly, she felt guilty. If she'd known he was coming she would've escorted him over properly, as it was she'd left him behind, how rude of her. The gentle Captain seemed to sense that as he took a seat beside her on the opposite side.

"No worries, Ise-san. I know the way here," he reassured her.

The food came via servers and the alcohol came after, though Nanao insisted upon water. Quietly, she watched lunch unfold. It was almost surreal being in the center of another outing engineered by her Captain. Her visions of lunch hadn't been anything quite like this one, though she admitted to herself she ought not be surprised.

It seemed a long time since she'd been squeezed into one of his outings but it probably hadn't been as long as that. Sitting there, sipping tea, which had been brought instead of her water, she watched live unfold. Matsumoto got dragged into Renji's argument, Kiyone and Sentaro were debating candies, and her Captains were talking over her head. She had always managed to get surrounded by people with more _life_ than her. Nanao was always the dullest thing in the room, the rock that never shone.

When the clock ticked precariously past one the afternoon, Nanao was ready to go. Some part of her wanted to touch him, just to reach out before she said her goodbyes, but she wasn't sure just then it would be appropriate. To touch his thigh would be too intimate and far too public, to touch his arm felt almost the same, so she nixed the plan.

No touching.

Instead she straightened. "If you'll excuse me."

He did the touching instead, reaching out to slide on arm around her waist bunching her up against his side. The Captain was warm and solid and his hand was hot on her hip. "Leaving me already, Nanao-chan...?"

"I have a meeting to go to and if I am late no doubt Kusajishi-san will drag everyone into trouble. There are some things that still need prepared before I go."

It wasn't a total lie. Nanao did have to go and pick up emergency candy but it was the major detour she felt she needed. The sorry truth was she was tired of this gathering and longed to be away from it. Part of her was sad he'd decided to invite over all his friends because that part wanted him all to herself. Even as she thought it she wondered what she'd do with all his attention focused solely on her.

Looking across the table she met Matsumoto's eye. "If you bring anything alcoholic to the meeting, you'll be attending it from the veranda."

"Aye, aye!" The blonde giggled and Nanao wondered if there was anything she hated more than giggling. She and the other woman would never be close, she thought. Matsumoto Rangiku had no work ethic. Sliding away from her Captain's arm Nanao tucked away her feelings, her disappointment and everything else and moved toward the door.

Sometimes there was simply no place to lodge all the excess emotions. At the front door she glared at the damage once again and stepped outside. Division Eight's problems were not hers, she reminded herself.

Not yet.

Resisting the urge to put another dent in the already damaged surface she headed for the front gate.

* * *

"Captain Kyouraku."

The older man turned his head toward the voice. "Hmm?"

"Are you aware that Ise-san has been dating other men?"

Kyouraku regarded Vice-Captain Hisagi carefully. The younger man had always been cautious with facial expression.

"I've heard," he answered.

The answer didn't seem to be of the sort the younger man wanted.

"Is she doing so with your approval?"

"My approval?" The whole table was watching then. Kyouraku regarded the question warily, as warily as he was regarding the asker. "No."

"But you're not interfering?"

"Not yet," the Captain answered. "I am not stopping her from seeing other men but that doesn't mean she doesn't belong to me."

The words were a challenge but Hisagi didn't seem threatened. Was he interested in Nanao?

"If that is the situation, why is she seeing other men?"

Kyouraku shared a glance with Ukitake and sighed, leaning back casually. Did he dare say the answer on the tip of his tongue. He had given her one a week or two, albeit without telling her. "That is something only she can tell you. Ask her if you wish to know."

The younger Vice-Captain sat stilly, digesting the information.

"Are you interested in her?" Kyoraku asked directly. If Hisagi had enough courage to ask about the matter directly, he ought to be man enough to admit it.

"Yes," he answered.

"You're not good for her, " the Captain immediately answered. "But go ahead and court her, I have promised not to interfere for at least two weeks."

"What happens at the end of two weeks?"

Kyouraku smiled. "If you're still around at the end of two weeks, you'll find out."

* * *

"Vice-Captain Ise."

Nanao turned at the gateway surprised to find herself suddenly in company. Her first thoughts were of her agenda and how much time she had left to prepare when she turned to see Hisagi Shuuhei behind her and then amended that. She probably wouldn't need to plan for extra time. He was unlikely to delay her.

"May I help you with something?" Their interactions in the past had always been work-related. Her rare appearances at drinking parties had never led her into his company.

"Are you headed directly back to Division Thirteen?"

"No," she answered. Did he want something from there? That was unusual. "I have some things I need to pick up for the Women's Meeting."

"Is it close?"

"About an hour from now, did you require assistance?"

"No. I understand tomorrow you are going on that trip to Karakura, the leadership meeting."

She inclined her head. As far as she knew none of the other officers had signed up, at least, none of the Vice-Captains. She was certain that she had not missed Hisagi's name.

"Yes, I am going."

"I spoke with the instructor last night and several of the activities will involve partners. Asking ahead of time, I would like to be your partner tomorrow."

Avoiding the question, she said instead. "I was not aware that you were going."

"I was a late sign-up and with things on such uneven grounds in some of the Divisions there may be some useful skills to learn."

She wondered if Hisagi was being considered for any of the open Captain positions and if that at all mattered to her. Seeing no reasonable reason to accept, she inclined her head. "Very well, I would be glad to have you as a partner, thank you for asking."

"In that case, let's meet in the morning. We may as well go together."

Again, seeing no reasonable option to decline, she accepted. "Very well. Should I meet you somewhere?"

"I'll meet you. Division Nine's office is closer to the gate we're using, want to meet there? Or I could walk to your house?"

She shook her head negatively. "It would be an unnecessary trip out of the way, Division Nine is fine."

Reaching out, he took the gate from her hand and held it open for her. Nanao stepped out feeling suddenly very awkward. Things had not always been this way for her, er, around him.

"Thank you."

"I will see you in the morning."

Nodding, she turned and began to walk away. Was she making too much of that exchange or had he seemed unusually... intense?

* * *

AN: I've been working on this like 4 hours, kept getting distracted by stuff. And now I'm off to train my mecha before I start 39.

darkangel1910: No worries, because I have no plan for any story when I start to write them. I have an idea that becomes a first chapter and it evolves as it goes.


	39. Warmth

One Hundred Ways to Love

39 of 100: Warmth

* * *

The next morning was cold.

Nanao woke to a bitter draft running along her floor boards and reluctantly crawled from her bed to start closing her windows. The evening chill had surprised her. Outside, a quick glance showed a frost over the grass. Eager to return to her cozy bed she snapped the two windows closed.

She had been lucky enough to return home before the storm had started but just barely. She had opened the windows before bed to listen to the rain and to let in the cool, refreshing breeze. The wind had kicked up off and on all night with occasional rains but mostly wet mist. The sky was mostly still dark so there was no way to tell if the rains would continue.

A quick glance at the clock confirmed it was already twenty past six. Taking a detour, she instead headed for her bathroom. A nice hot bath and then breakfast would be in order. She had to get ready for the practice today. Stifling a yawn she disappeared into her bathroom finding temporary solace in the warmer room.

* * *

The night had been restless. Typically, he enjoyed stormy nights. They had a very soothing, natural quality to them. Last night, his mind had wandered as he laid in his bed, stone sober, thinking about Nanao. He'd gone home early; he'd gone to bed early. The whole thing left a bad taste in his mouth. Or maybe it was whatever he'd been eating last night.

Rolling onto his back he stared at the boards in his ceiling. What was he going to do about her? Was there anything he could say to make her come back? Any grand motion he could make that would send her sailing into his arms proclaiming her love for him? The only Nanao he could see doing that existed inside his head. When had this whole situation gotten so ridiculously out of hand?

What did Nanao need from other men that she couldn't get from him? Why was he being the only man she knew a _bad_ thing?

Would he have to give up going to the bar for Nanao? She knew he liked to do that. He'd done it since before she was born. Honestly, did she hate his drinking that much? Was he an old drunk to her? Couldn't be… sure, he couldn't pick up any girls if he wanted only one woman but he expected that. Did she want him to stop flirting, like Jyuu had said? Should he try? Wouldn't it be a little boring if it did?

Stretching, he took a quick look at the clock.

0704.

With a growl, he pushed himself up and fumbled toward the bathroom. It was cold and he was tired and miserable… and he was getting out of bed before noon, ugh.

* * *

Mostly dry and much warmer, Nanao wrapped her hair in a towel and slipped on a yukata. It wasn't as warm as she'd like but her bath heated body felt good against the cloth until she opened her bathroom door and stepped back into the chill. With a shiver, she realized she ought to have turned the heat on but seeing as she was going to leave soon she would just get dressed and leave it off. She'd turn it on later when she came home.

Unexpectedly, pair arms from behind scooped her up off the floor. Nanao's breath caught in her throat, a dry gasp escaping her lips as fear spiked her heart rate. Whipping her head up she found herself being curled into the large chest of Captain Kyouraku. Angry, she smacked him in the chest so hard her hand stung.

"You idiot! You scared me to death!" She hadn't even heard footsteps, he was just suddenly there where he shouldn't have been.

Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to her forehead and said nothing; instead he walked further into her bedroom and deposited her into her still rumpled futon on the floor. And then surprised her by crawling into it with her. It was a small futon; it wasn't made for two people.

A protest formed on her lips but failed to leave her mouth when he saw the expression on his face. Melancholy. He wrapped his arms around her body dragging her against him, tucking her head beneath his chin.

"I knew you'd be up."

Well, she thought, at least she was reliable. She could feel so much of his body against hers and he was warm and she was reminded, abruptly, that she was naked beneath her yukata. "Captain, I'm really not dressed."

It was actually time for her to be putting on her uniform and making breakfast. She was not the type of woman to lie around in bed. Plus she had to meet Hisagi… in like three hours.

"Did you want to take your yukata off?" he asked. She couldn't feel his breath through her towel atop her head. "I'll keep Nanao warm."

She trembled finely. Did he know she was naked beneath that? Or was that incidental? Abruptly, one hand curled beneath her jaw tipping her head back, up so he could see her face. She was barely dressed and her glasses were on a table feet away. This wasn't how she wanted him to look at her. "I promised Jyuushiro I wouldn't interfere with your dating, Nanao, but I never promised to leave you alone. I don't want you to enjoy time with other men." Leaning down he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I want you to think about _me _only_._" He kissed her nose. "I want to be Nanao's."

"Captain-" her breath hitched. He couldn't possibly- his hand found hers and he brought it up to cup his face.

"I want to be _Nanao's_," he repeated. "I want you to remember that and that I'd do anything for you."

Were these kind of conversations supposed to hurt? Her chest ached. This couldn't be a response to the fact she'd gone out with Akon? Was he really that upset about it? It wasn't as though she were leaving him. Not that her leaving him should matter all that much, they weren't married, she thought. They were just….

Sliding her hand down his neck she used it to grab his black uniform and pull herself closer. For the first time she realized his Captain's robe and kimono were missing.

"You aren't dressed properly," she murmured softly.

"Should I take more off?" he purred.

She smacked his arm. "That's not what I meant."

His response made her smile and she contentedly snuggled close to him. what were a few more hours in bed?

* * *

AN: Can't deny that I miss the randomness of the drabbles too, because there was much more freedom to that format. But I like chaining these together even if I am stuck in the middle of them now.

I have no problem whatsoever making up kidou spells because Kubo Tite will never release a full list of that kind of thing but I'm extremely hesitant about doing a zanpakuto release for Nanao. She has no official data... and she's not even being shown in any of the current fights. Wah!


	40. Magic

One Hundred Ways to Love

40 of 100: Magic

* * *

The chill from the previous night had barely subsided as Nanao walked toward the Ninth Division office. The sky was still overcast and gray and a kind of mist hung in the air, floating on the breeze and blowing directly into her face with every step.

A groggy Captain Kyouraku had been awakened at nine thirty, a scant half hour before she was to meet Hisagi. After grumbling, he'd gotten up and she'd managed to get dressed and get out the door on time. Now, she supposed he was on his way home. She'd told him to go back to bed if he was tired, not offering her own bed, and he'd told her he was going so she'd let him. he'd been in a better mood when he woke than when he'd gone to sleep, casting off his sad melancholy frowns for small, flirtatious grins.

He'd offered to dress her, which she'd declined. Then he'd been willing to make her breakfast, which she hadn't had time for. Finally, he'd offered to accompany her, which he couldn't do since he wasn't on the list of participants. All in all she'd ended up sending him on his way and then felt guilty about the whole thing. If the seminar she was going to hadn't been something she had to _pay_ for, she might've skipped it to stay home.

Now, as she was coming around the corner that would lead to the gate she wondered what in the world she was doing. In barely five weeks she'd managed to turn her life completely upside down.

"Good morning."

Turning, she found the Vice-Captain was already waiting for her and taking one good look at him, she frowned. "It's barely fifty degrees outside and you have on clothes with no sleeves," she observed.

He took a moment to glance at his attire. "I always wear this."

Would she never understand the male mind? Turning away she held back a scowl. What did she care what the man wore? It could be ninety in Karakura for all she knew, right? Silently, they began the short walk toward the nearby gate. Others had gathered and were waiting but Nanao didn't recognize anyone. Within ten minutes they were off.

Karakura was warm as it turned out. The gate opened directly into the park and it was green. At least when she got knocked down the squishy grass would break her fall a little. The leader of the group was a rounded man with a puff of blonde hair and a roving eye. Nanao suspected he had roving hands given the opportunity. The first order of business was apparently a lecture.

Nanao listened attentively, perched on the grass as the instructor waxed long on the founding principals of leadership. Hisagi, who was next to her on the grass looked bored. "Do you really need this?" he asked her.

Nanao spared him a glance and sighed. "Probably not this part."

"We could probably teach this class. Who is this guy?"

She had looked him up before signing up for the class and found his biography impressive. He had been an Academy instructor for more than 80 years. She attempted to impart this knowledge to Hisagi but ended up on the receiving end of a disbelieving stare.

"You can't believe everything that's in a book, Ise-san."

When the group collectively stood to practice "trust exercises", Hisagi surprised her by grabbing her hand and running. "Let's go."

"Wait! Wait one minute!" she called.

He ignored her pulling her out of the park. "Karakura has a high incidence of Hollow activity. We should be able to track down some action without the idiot back there. It's a crime we had to pay for that."

Nanao wanted to argue but wasn't sure which point to pick out since she agreed. Left to her own devices she'd have stayed the length of the class to ensure her money's worth, not abandoned it. Still finding her hand clasped in Hisagi's she tried to slip away only t have him pull her nearer.

"Come on. There's a shopping district near here."

* * *

Nanao wasn't sure what shopping had to do with finding Hollows but inside the general store she found plenty of things that interested her. Without a gigai she was unable to buy anything, so she walked around the place invisible, Hisagi over one shoulder, quirking an eyebrow every now and then at her investigations.

It was when she had stopped to look at a tube of "bubble bath" when he finally spoke. "Are you really interested in a new man?"

Tilting her head she glanced up. "Did I have an old one?"

"You've been with Captain Kyouraku a long time."

That certainly was the perception. How did she counter that? Did she want to counter it? "I've _worked_ for Captain Kyouraku a long time," she agreed.

"You've never been his lover?"

"_That_ is extremely personal, but the answer is no."

"If he isn't your lover, what is he?"

"I don't know," she answered. It was the simple truth. She had yet to give a name to what he was to her.

"Are you looking for another man?"

"I don't know. Is there a rumor I left Division Eight to start dating, how crude." She moved away from the bubble bath and her companion followed.

"I'm not asking because of any rumor, I'm asking because I want to know. I'm interested, but I don't have the feeling that you are."

"Interested in what? Dating or you personally?"

She wasn't sure which part of the comment did it, or if it was the comment at all but suddenly Hisagi was grinning at her. And he was cute. She'd never seen that expression on his face before, but then their contact had always been pretty dry, standard business before now.

"I like that about you; you're direct. Both, dating and me personally."

"I don't have a problem with you," she answered. "Although, I don't know you very well; maybe you're marginally more interesting than Akon as a boyfriend."

His grin was back and suddenly his hands made an appearance, pulling her toward him straight through a lady shopper and her cart. "I can do better than _marginally._ You interested in trying me out?"

He made her pulse hike in her chest and other places too. It wasn't the same as with Captain Kyouraku. The feelings inspired by the two men were night and day: Hisagi was… excitement. Even if he was the first embodiment she'd had of excitement from a man save for that special kind her Captain gave her, it wasn't fair. Deep down, she knew it wasn't, because her heart answered to one man only, whether she was ready to admit that or not.

With that thought, she gave life to a thought that might've been unkind. "It wouldn't be fair."

The hands on her arms slid away, back to his sides and his grin faded. "Lost before it even started," he stated simply. "You're direct enough except where it matters most. Ever going to tell him?"

Nanao turned her head toward a display of shampoos and didn't answer. How could she answer something when she didn't know how?

"If you can't answer, are you sure?"

No.

Yes.

She wanted to give both answers but they were both true.

"If you're not, give me a chance. What can it hurt? The Captain said I have two weeks."

Nanao straightened, looking away from the tropic grapefruit shampoo mix in the orange bottle. "I'm sorry? What did you say just now?"

"I asked him. He told me he'd give me too weeks."

"Before what?" she pressed.

"If I'm still around at the end of two weeks, he said I'll find out. Want to give it a whirl? Maybe you'll like it."

She considered herself lucky that he didn't lick his lips or make some other lewd motion that would make her slap him. Of course, then she would've had good cause to flatten him in the store and be back to work and leave the whole moral dilemma behind her.

And why had dating been such a good idea again? These kind of grown-up scenarios were not any fun. A part of her longed for the routine, scheduled days of the past century… and another part wondered what Vice-Captain Hisagi tasted like and exactly what Captain Kyouraku would do to bring her home. The thrill in her pulse was telling.

"Why not then," she finally answered.

Hisagi crossed his arms and regarded her thoughtfully. "Dinner tomorrow?"

"How about lunch?"

He thought it over and then shook his head negatively. "Too short, you'll want to go back to work. At least if its dinner I know I'm not returning you to the office."

With thoughts racing with scenarios, she agreed.

* * *

AN: Magic, aka Chemistry. I actually wrote this chapter without consulting the themes list, oops. Anyway, I went reading to see how other authors portrayed Hisagi and let me tell you, it didn't help one ounce. But I've settled into the way I want to write him: the way I see his pictures. One word: hotness. So, let's see how that works out.


	41. Rugged

41 of 100: Ruggedness

SIDESTORY

* * *

Nanao turned a page in her book idly. It was a thriller about a girl on the run from a man who was mysteriously trying to kill her. It wasn't her favorite genre by any means but it was a way to pass the time until her next assignment came up.

Division Eight had been her home since she'd graduated years and years ago. Her days varied with each assignment. Her childhood readings with the Captain and Vice-Captain had ended when Vice-Captain Yadomaru had disappeared almost twenty years ago. She'd taken to reading alone.

Now, as she sat in an empty classroom with a book that wasn't holding her interest she wondered if she ought to be training instead. She could probably drum up a partner if she tried, most of the males around the place were eager enough to fight, even if most of them thought she was invisible. The females here weren't any better. She wasn't sure what it was about herself that made her so… unapproachable. Maybe it was her introverted nature and her natural bookishness.

With a sigh, she turned her eyes back down to her book trying to find where she'd drifted off. The girl had been running somewhere. It was a noise that caused her to look up. At six thirty in the evening there were no classes, it was very unlikely for her to be disturbed. That's when she heard footsteps.

She sincerely hoped no one was coming down for a make-out session. Nanao wasn't the only person who knew the classrooms were empty and open at this time of night. Though why anyone would forgo the privacy of their barracks room for the classroom was beyond her unless they were looking for a little kinky excitement. Closing her book, she listened.

Footsteps.

Singular.

Doors opening.

And closing.

She stood. Was someone inspecting the rooms? Were they supposed to be empty at this time of night? Surely she wouldn't face disciplinary charges for being in a restricted space? Even if her reading material wasn't exactly academic. She debated what to do. It wasn't as though she could hide, really. If someone was scanning reiatsu, they would know she was there.

Deciding she ought not to panic over it, she sat back down at one of the desks and reopened her book. Her concentration was not great enough to actually read, not to mention that the content had started to bore her. She pretended instead. When the door to her class slid open, she kept her gaze on the open book, her eyes tracing words without reading them.

"Ah, so here's the little mouse in the classroom."

The voice surprised her. Not because she hadn't known it was there, but because she hadn't expected the visitor. In the doorway, opened just wide enough to accommodate the width of his frame, was her Captain. Kyouraku Shunsui. How long had it been since she'd stood face to face with him alone? Years? How long could two people go without seeing one another in the same Division?

"I'm sorry, am I not allowed to be here?"

As far as she knew there were no restrictions as long as there wasn't anything illicit going on. She'd asked the instructors herself about free study in the class and had been given approval. After all, the Divisions consisted primary of adults, the majority of them were responsible individuals.

He regarded her a long moment with those heavy lidded eyes and steady gaze before he stepped inside. She was not on his list of "frequently flirted with" and it had been a good long time since they'd spent any time together. She was not even an officer; there was no reason for him to remember her at all. Moving around behind her, he came up around and dragged a chair in front up to her desk. Not beside her, but in front of her, turning his body to face her.

"What have you got?"

Wordlessly, she closed her book and pushed it toward him. As he looked at the cover, she looked at him. He hadn't changed at all in the interim years. Pink kimono, straw hat, lazy personality… he was unshaven, his uniform hung open in a wide triangle over his chest and he still looked at everyone in an assessing, if not curious way. Perhaps if searching for a new person to share a drink with.

There was a word for this kind of man. Burly? Rugged? She'd thought of it not too long enough but now it escaped her. He reminded her of the kind of men in novels, the hero, seducing the maiden before riding off into the sunset. That kind of novel, not the happily ever after kind. He didn't seem like the settle down type of guy, not with the way he flirted with everything female. Except, maybe her. She felt no less invisible to him than she did everyone else.

The book's cover was unimpressive. It featured a girl and haunting white text at the top. It was simply titled, "Open Run." She was glad she'd picked up that one instead of the steamy romance that had been next to it in the stack. It was just what she needed for her Captain to come along while she was reading about a young woman being seduced by her sexy employer, how embarrassing.

"Is this the kind of thing you're reading now?" he asked.

"It was all I could find on my way out." That was the truth really. It had been that or the romance. The romances she would save for her room like a good, practical girl did. That was private reading material.

Replacing the book on her desk he leaned back in the chair and crossed one ankle over his knee. "You haven't shown up for any of the officer try-outs."

"No, Sir, I have not."

There was something unnerving about the way he watched her. He hadn't always looked at her that way, had he? Sharply, taking in every detail of her? No. Couldn't have. But then, it had been a long time since she'd been the object of his direct attention.

"Why not? I'm sure you're capable of performing one of the offices."

There were twenty chairs. Really, she didn't want any of them, dare she say that? Plus, there was the fact that she'd received a letter last week from the Kidou Corps. They had been reviewing her records and that was no surprise to her. She was well known to the Kidou Corps staff after all.

Nanao had graduated the Academy the same way every other shinigami graduated, with basic honors. She had not participated in Advanced Combat or anything of that nature; she had been age-restricted at the time. Six years later she'd gone in search of more education, being old enough for re-entrance. Ultimately she hadn't performed at high enough levels for Advanced Combat, but she had been invited into the Advanced Kidou and then Honor Kidou the two highest levels. She had not graduated a second time, but she'd been invited into the Master Kidou-level invitation-only program that followed graduation. They were taught, not by the Academy, but by the staff of the secret organization, the Kidou Corps. For two more years she'd studied in one of the basements in their building, with two other people, daily.

Lost in thought, it was his movement that broke her concentration. She hadn't answered him.

"Are you leaving then?"

"I have been considering a position in the Kidou Corps. It is probably more suited to my skill set."

They were offering her an apprenticeship. Her placement there would take her away from Division Eight and with each passing day she began to wonder if that might not be what she needed. She did not fit in around Division Eight and using her zanpakuto wasn't her best skill and Divisions seemed to hold that in highest regard.

"You completed the Master Kidou program with the Kidou Corps, why didn't they offer you a position then?"

"I don't know," she answered. "Is that important?"

"I think you should try for a chair here. You're young but you have a fine degree of control that is useful in the higher offices. The Kidou Corps is secretive and reluctant to let their members go should you become bored there."

Nanao wondered why this matter was an issue to him. He had hundreds of other shinigami in his squad and he wanted to advise _her? _ Someone he spent no time with? "Is it an order?"

Cocking an eyebrow at her as if he were surprised by her challenging answer, he questioned. "Should I make it one?"

"No, Sir that will not be required." Every part of her rebelled against the idea. She wanted no part of the officer try-outs that had been ongoing for the past week. It would ruin her very fine invisible image. People would… well… _talk_. She didn't want to be the subject or rumor and innuendo.

"I will not make you take a Chair, but I want _you_ to see that you are capable of it."

Nanao decided that nothing was the best thing to say. It wasn't that she thought herself incapable. She didn't want the chance. Reaching for the edge of his chair, he pushed himself up, towering over her. Behind him, he pushed the chair back where it belonged and faced her once more.

He made to step away and she felt herself relaxing when one broad hand came down gently atop her head, resting there. "I am not around as often as I was a few years ago, but I have not stopped watching my little Nanao."

Quietly, he left her.

Nanao spent a few minutes staring at the terrified girl on the book cover. Tomorrow, her humdrum existence in Division Eight would end. Tomorrow, she'd probably end up seated and penning a letter to the Kidou Corps rejecting their apprenticeship; was that the thing she ought to be doing? Even if it wasn't, it was probably going to happen anyway. She sighed and stood.

Now was a good time to escape to her room and read that romance. At least for a little while she could escape this indecision.

* * *

AN:  It occurred to me today.  What happened between the time Nanao was a little girl and the time she became Vice?  Ever wonder.

Asdf: The latin guy was definitely hot and he does look like our favorite Captain! Nice find.


	42. A silence

42 of 100: A silence

* * *

The office was quiet. A flowering bonsai sat near the window on the far wall the blossoms were still cheerfully pink. Captain Unohana had opened the window to allow the fall sunlight inside. They would be the last flowers of the season most likely, the last breath of color before winter set in. Nanao regarded it thoughtfully. Coming over to Division Four had been a last minute decision after a night of uneasy sleep. Her evening out with Hisagi had been... disquieting.

Nanao wasn't sure exactly what was prompting her to seek out the older woman or what she would say to her once she finally arrived at the office to meet her. It wasn't as though her evening out had been bad. The problem was, as many things had been over the last few weeks, it hadn't been what she was expecting. Nanao was a strategist at heart and nothing was going according to her plans.

"Can I offer you some refreshment?" the quiet voice of the medical Captain drew Nanao's eyes to the doorway. "I must make one quick stop before I can talk with you and I am passing the kitchen on the way."

Nanao shook her head in the negative, quietly thanking her. Captain Unohana regarded her ponderingly for a moment and then asked to be excused and forgiven for making her wait even longer but Nanao found she didn't mind. The lady Captain's office was soothing in a way that her own had ceased to be. Or perhaps it had never been... her personal space at Division Thirteen was... it wasn't... it was just another part of the problem that had become her life.

Leaving Eight.

Akon.

Hisagi.

Sentaro and Kiyone.

Captain Kyouraku.

When the lady Captain came in no less than five minutes later she did so bearing bottles of spring water and a welcoming smile. "I apologize. I realize that water is an unusual offering for a guest but it is natural spring water and known for its revitalizing qualities." The Captain smiled gently as she took her place at her desk. "Forgive me for keeping you waiting this long; it has been an unusually busy morning."

Nanao excused it quietly as she took the offered water. It was clear and beautiful. She had recognized a face or two outside in the halls earlier and if her assumptions were correct the Fourth Division patient census had gone up because of something related to Division Eleven. That would surprise no one. "No, I am the one interfering in your work time, I apologize for intruding." She stared into her water as if looking for answers.

Or courage.

"Nonsense," the Captain smiled. "There is always time for friends. If I may be direct, you look very troubled today. Have things been going amiss? Your recent injuries have not troubled you, I hope?"

"No, nothing of that nature." Nanao sighed, unsure of what to say. Unsure of what was happening. "As Vice Captain of Division Eight I have, had, always been in control of everything. I... Things went according to plan, at work and at home. Since leaving Division Eight I have found that nothing is going the way it ought."

"You had a long time to establish things there; it is only natural to encounter many changes when leaving that environment. Question is, do you like these new changes?" Captain Unohana sipped her water that she had poured into a paper cup on her desk.

Did she like the changes to her life? The new office, Division, team-mates? The boredom? The new schedules and routines? The need to prove herself to new people? The loneliness that hadn't been so acute when she worked at Division Eight that struck her when she went home to an empty house alone?

No.

The answer was on her tongue, stuck there, but she was unable to voice it. Silence stretched between the two women. How could she possibly like what had become of her life? Uncertainty and boredom were the two main repeating cycles...

"If life has become so uneasy, why do you not simply return?"

Would going back make everything okay? And what about that other stuff? "I promised myself that I would do things before I returned."

"May I be bold and ask what things they were?" the Captain asked. Captain Unohana's gaze was direct, but not accusing or harsh.

"I wanted to gain more experience."

"Experience in what?"

It was a two fold answer and not one she was sure she was up to giving. Nanao had always been a loner. She had never been like other girls who confessed their secrets to confidants, rehashing gossip, or discussing firsts with boys.

"I wanted to experience the battlefield without the supervision granted me by my former Captain... Also, I wanted to experience, I do not know which words to use, but more male company outside of work."

Captain Unohana tilted her head curiously. "Could you not have male company whilst in Division Eight? Surely, he wasn't that protective?"

She could have, yes, now that she thought about it. Looking back, she could've gone out at any time looking for company trolling shopping districts or any place she wouldn't have run into her Captain in the evenings during her personal time. It had simply not occurred to her to do so. Why had it all of the sudden now? Because without her Captain there, flirting with her all the time, she was so dreadfully alone? Was that what it had been that made her realize it?

Nanao directed her gaze to her lap. "I was not alone then."

"Are you now?"

Yes. Why were there things she could not voice?

"I don't know. I am supposed to be a strategist, it is one of my special fields but I have lost control of it. I am playing on an uneven board with broken and missing pieces."

"Strategists plan for battle, Ise-san. Life cannot always be planned with the same principles. What is the one thing you know you want? Is it experience in battle or with men or is it a return to your carefully ordered life?"

Was "none" an option?

"I want my normal life back, before all these complications."

The Captain poured more water into her cup. "Is it pride that keeps you from returning early?"

"I promised..." Nanao stubbornly answered. "... my Captain that would return on a set date, I must be reliable on that point."

"That is minor and it is not the same as extending your absence. Your return would be welcomed. Why do you not go back and be truthful with the answer."

There was no need for Nanao to meditate on the answer because she knew it. It raised goose bumps on her arms when she thought of it. It made her heart race. It made a cold sweat rise to a sheen across her forehead.

It was not a reason that she could put into words without feeling foolish. The reason was an emotion. Simple, complex, gut-wrenching, overwhelming...

It was fear.

Worse, it was _irrational _fear.

Fear where there ought not to be any, not for things that would happen, not for fear of pain or rejection but fear of possibility.

She wanted her life back, but she was beginning to wonder if she'd ever be able to have it. After all, once things changed they could no longer stay the same. Question was, how much, and what was irrevocably altered, if anything?

* * *

AN: Miss me? Nanowrimo bored me this year because I kept thinking about this so I abandoned it. I've done it the past 4 years successfully, I don't need to prove myself to myself again so I'm back to this.


	43. Shyness

43 of 100: Shyness

SIDESTORY

* * *

They pass each other in the halls more often now than they did before.

Her plans for life had never been particularly ambitious. She had never envisioned herself as a seated officer and yet here she was, plucking along in the administration of Division Eight. In her all her childhood adorations of Vice-Captain Yadomaru she had not wanted to _be_ the older woman or anything like her.

But it wasn't her memories of a former Vice-Captain that was bothering her. It was the fact that she saw _him _now more than she had before. Something about her listing Captain disturbed her peace of mind. Maybe it was the way he strolled about the place with lazy waves and equally lazy grins, pausing every so often to flirt with a pretty face. She didn't resent his flirting; not really, he had always been that way. It must simply be part of his genetic being.

Captain Kyouraku did not flirt with _her_. She was a plain girl, Nanao, and she was truthful enough to admit this to herself. She was not the kind of girl that would get his attention so she didn't expect or want to be flirted with. Despite that, she wasn't quite sure what the emotion was that came from somewhere inside her chest whenever she saw him leaning against a doorway chatting up a girl or leaning on the front counter exchanging flirty smiles with staff.

She wasn't jealous. It wasn't possible. The man was too old for her anyway and he was a drunk. What use did the studious Ise Nanao have for a drunk anyway, she'd ask herself. Sometimes she wondered if she ought to have accepted the Kidou Corps invitation. She can't help but wonder what would've been different were circumstances altered. Certainly her present Captain wouldn't be on her mind as he was now.

Footsteps cause her to look up but all she sees are various squad members walking past her doorway. There is no time for this introspection; she needs to get back to work though she isn't sure where she ought to start. Somewhere close by a female giggles and Nanao scowls at the very sound of it. Spitefully, she hopes her Captain isn't close by with the giggling girl. Nanao isn't sure what the feeling is but she's sure it isn't jealousy. She reassures herself of this over and again. After all, she isn't the type of girl a man like that is interested in and she doesn't want to be because Nanao doesn't flirt and she absolutely doesn't giggle.

Usually, she passes him in the hallways. A lot of the time she manages to slip away from him quietly without notice. After all, she is but a junior administrative member, a low ranking seat holder and thus not worthy of his individual attention. Division Eight is also a big place with lots of people and a lot of crowds to disappear into if one knows where to look or what time to travel the hallways. It's rather pathetic that her life revolves around when the halls are busiest so she can avoid her most senior officer.

She doesn't want his attention anyway, that's why she goes to such lengths.

Despite that, sometimes she can't escape it. Sometimes, it feels like he plucks her out of the group appearing where she didn't expect him, placing one giant hand atop her head petting her gently as he smiles down at her calling her idiotic things like, "Nanao-chan". What is she to him, anyway? A pet or a child to be addressed in such a silly manner? Her tongue wishes to lash out at him but her manners stop her. He was her Captain and she will be respectful of that even if that emotion in her chest twists in way that makes her kind of ache sometimes.

So she's quiet and respectful and she avoids him when she can because he's not the same as he was before. Kyouraku Shunsui of her youth isn't anything like the man she knows now and despite her knowing that it's odd. She's grown up and they can't look at each other now they way they did then. She isn't a little girl anymore, she doesn't need someone to read with her and reassure her of anything. She can take care of herself now.

Not that it has anything to do with her avoiding her Captain. It only makes her reassess her plan, only to realize that she has no plan and desperately needs one. Nanao has short term goals, a little house, things she wants in that little house, like a library… Her long term goals have been in transition ever since her Captain had "suggested" she try out for an officer's chair.

In the end she'll just have to keep on avoiding him even if she knows in the end he won't really allow it. He'll still pop up around corners where she doesn't expect him and pat her on the head like his favorite pup and give her lazy smiles and silly pet-names and useless words of encouragement. She's not sure what it is about her that seems to inspire such sentiments in him, if she could figure it out, she'd stop it.

If something is not "lucky" then it must be "unlucky" by definition so she considers it "unlucky" that she caught her Captain's eye on the way in the other afternoon. He'd been standing at the front desk; leaning on it really, though she was not sure why he leaned on things so much as she rarely saw him do anything tiring. She had been returning from a quiet, private lunch off of Division grounds, something she liked to do at least once a week as time permitted.

Her game plan usually consisted of avoiding him but as he was standing there right in the lobby she couldn't hide. Instead, she'd planned to simply walk on by after she'd first glimpsed him. Closing the door she headed on, but couldn't keep her rebellious eyes from looking in his direction. Couldn't stop it and hated herself a little bit for it.

And he'd looked back.

There were no smiles or waves or silly names or cheerful words. He just looked. _Looked_ was probably insufficient for what that look had done to her insides. She had never been popular among boys, she was probably the most inexperienced person in the whole Division but there was something ridiculously primal about her Captain on occasions.

She felt in that brief moment as if her Captain had looked at her like he'd never seen her before. It was almost tempting to stop and reintroduce herself but she had wanted his gaze _off_ her and to be out of his sight. That dark, glittering stare had felt less Captain-like and more… male. Watchful, appraising. She had dropped her gaze immediately, her pulse spiking, even as she told her feet not to speed up because she was _not_ running from him. Retreating to her office she logically dismissed it all.

Her heart hadn't been racing, he'd just surprised her.

Her palms weren't sweating, it was just a warm day outside.

He hadn't looked at her any different just then, he was just feeling overly tired and hadn't the energy to smile.

Nanao could make excuses for anything and force herself to swallow it but she couldn't stop her reaction the next time she heard his booming voice in the hall. If there was a logical excuse for her turning and disappearing in the opposite direction, that was her business, she decided. After all, if he was going to be such a distraction to her then it was in the Division's best interest that she not spend any time with him. It had nothing at all to do with sweaty palms or pulses.

After that, she avoided him even more studiously.


	44. Goodbye

44 of 100: Goodbye.

* * *

_"Grapefruit are better than oranges! More vitamins!"_

_"They are not, soot-face!"_

_"Don't call me soot-face, pea-brain!" _

Nanao wondered what the two of them did in their morning routines that imbued them with such energy. They were down the hall from her and she could still hear them from her location. Granted, her door was open as it was most days.

Things from her end of the building were in tip-top shape. Reports filed on time, all her budgets were flat even, and equipment was in good standing, there were no outstanding discipline reports for the morning… The place didn't need her even remotely. The Vice-Captain's chair might've been empty before she had arrived but Division Thirteen had not suffered because of it.

After speaking with Captain Unohana the previous day, Nanao had agonized over things. It had been many years since she'd been so stressed on such a level. Her date with Hisagi… despite the promise of something that might've been fun, it had ended rather stilted. Maybe he tried to hard and she not enough but the connection had been weak and they had parted on friendly but uncertain terms. He, without saying so, seemed inclined to believe that she was not serious about finding a companion.

_"CAPTAIN!"_

There was her morning announcement of Captain Ukitake's arrival. It was customary for the two of them to shout at his arrival like adolescent schoolgirls and then to immediately begin cooing over him and his health. Nanao wasn't bitter or jealous of the attention they heaped on him, she simply regarded these facts as… as… inane. With a sigh, she stood up, to interrupt the joy session in the hall. Captain Ukitake looked a bit grateful at her arrival as he had Kiyone on one side, Sentaro on the other, each of them holding his arms and pestering him about his breakfast regimen.

"Captain Ukitake, may I speak with you a few moments in private, please?"

He gave her a smile and began extracting himself from his Third Seat's arms. "Of course, Ise-san. Have you noticed, it's gotten quite chilly outside," he offered conversationally as he moved toward her office doorway, where she was waiting for him.

Nanao adjusted her glasses on the perch of her nose. "Yes, Sir, it has. I hope your walk in did not antagonize your health."

"Oh no, not at all. I found it rather refreshing for a moment or two, but as you can see," he held up the white scarf around his neck. "I am always prepared for winter and keep this close. It makes breathing easier." Stepping past her she slid the door closed and followed him in.

Her office space was rather spacious. Maybe it was the arrangement of the furniture, but she liked it. There was something of a soothing quality if one could get past the emptiness. Maybe she hadn't spent enough time in it or personalized it enough. Maybe it would simply never be good enough because it wasn't really *her* space. Though it hadn't come up, she was well aware the previous Vice-Captain of Thirteen had been beloved.

"Is there something on your mind today?"

Nanao sat and tried to stop the sigh. "I have come to a decision."

Giving her a smile, he slid the scarf off his shoulders and folded it. "Is it time?"

Nanao didn't answer that. "As soon as it is feasible I would like to resign my post as Vice-Captain of this Division."

"Going back soon, after all? Did your date with Vice-Captain Hisagi influence this decision, if I may ask you such a thing?" Her decision to leave him didn't seem to be upsetting him. In fact, if she wasn't mistaken, he looked rather pleased.

The young Vice-Captain shook her head. "It has nothing to do with him personally. It has merely been a long time since I have been this stressed in my personal life. I intend to resign my post as Vice-Captain here but I do not have any immediate plans to return to Division Eight."

The silence that followed the announcement was stifling. Nanao watched her Captain for reaction but he was stony in response.

"You do not intend to return to Division Eight immediately or at all? Ise-san, I feel I must advise you that any problems you may have with Shunsui surely-"

Nanao held up a hand and he stopped speaking. "I wanted to take some personal time. I promised Captain Kyouraku I would return and I will do so but in the meantime I am not needed here and I would like a small vacation period."

They shared a moment of quiet with her present Captain looking ill at ease with her decision. His prior happiness seeming to have melted away. "There is no reason that you cannot take your leave immediately. I will accept your resignation, but if there are any problems or concerns that you have in the mean time, please feel free to come and visit me."

"I will finish the day."

* * *

AN: The people who review this story totally rock, I appreciate it.


	45. Rejection

45 of 100: Rejection

Minor swearing. Unedited version (so tired tonight)

* * *

There were men smoking pipes near the window as Hisagi entered. Even with the window opened and the frequent swing of the door, the tavern had a smoky, foggy atmosphere and the smell clung to the place and its inhabitants. Just inside, he spotted his party, evidenced clearly by Ikkaku's shiny bald head beneath a lighting fixture. Renji grinned like hound and waved him over and the others turned to look at him, waving also.

"_Hisagi's here!" _

_"Yo, where's your chick? Heard you were out with _Ise_-san!" _

A bunch of hoots and whistles followed.

_"Probably couldn't get that strict ass into the bar." _

Hisagi scratched his ear as he sat down, motioning for a drink. He figured he'd probably get what everyone else was drinking tonight, it looked like standard fare. Rice wine.

"So what happened?" Ikkaku lazily inquired, turning curious eyes toward the quieter man. "She ditch your ass?"

_"Probably slapped him." _

"No getting' fresh with that lady, she'd probably kidou your-"

Hisagi gave a shrug. "I don't think she's done with Captain Kyouraku."

_"She say that?" _

"No," Hisagi answered, happily taking his cup and bottle from the scanty waitress. "It's just a feeling. Besides, even if she's not serious about him, the Captain isn't playing around about her and the risk seems greater than the reward."

"Oh, that's cold man."

"What did you see in her anyway?"

Taking a quick gulp of his liquor, he looked inclined to ignore the question.

"She's commanding, strong women can be sexy," Renji supplied, leaning back.

"Hey, I want a beer!"

"Do they serve that here?"

"Well, you don't look dumped. She dump you?" Renji asked, tipping his bottle over his cup, the milky liquid splashing onto the tabletop.

"No. It was only one date. Enough about Ise-san," Hisagi answered. "What about Kuchiki-san?"

Renji flushed. "Nothin' to say about Rukia."

"Coward," Hisagi murmured. "At least I asked out Ise."

It only led to an argument, but at least he didn't have to talk about it anymore.

* * * *

* * *

Pounding at the front door was always a bad sign. Nanao came around the corner, one hand smoothing over her hair. She had been trying to rearrange her closet and that one item she kept brushing against was making a static disaster of her neatly done up hairdo. Reaching for the door, she slid it open curtly and frowned upon sight of her visitor.

"Nanao-chan! You're home, good!"

Matsumoto Rangiku.

"I heard about your night the other night and I've come to console you."

"Console me?" Nanao quirked an eyebrow. What had happened that she was unaware of?

"Of course, there's no need to be coy about it. We all know. So I rounded up a few of the girls and we arranged a little 'cheer up Nanao' party, all we need is you."

Nanao found her good mood dwindling and she crossed her arms moodily. "Know _what_ exactly?"

"About your disastrous date with Hisagi, of course… but it's no shame to be dumped by a hottie. They're vain and picky and can never make up their minds even if the wild ride is sometimes worth the hassle."

Nanao turned her gaze heavenward. Rumor and innuendo. How disgusting. Now people were actually talking about her out there. Idiots and their speculations about her life. If she had her way she'd- Matsumoto grabbed her arm and yanked her out the door.

"Come on, it's just a few of us. You don't even need money, tonight its our treat!"

* * * *

* * *

She stared at the liquor. How long had it been since she'd drank something alcoholic? Probably not long enough, she thought ruefully, but what oculd it really hurt? She wasn't going to go to work the next day. No, for two solid weeks she was perfectly unemployed. It was good then that she'd been such a fiscally responsible person in the years previous to present.

"I'm sorry that things went poorly for you, Ise-san."

The quiet voice made her look up. Kotetsu Isane. Nanao had never taken her for much of a drinker, but what did she know? She didn't spend much time with the medical staff of Fourth or any staff that wasn't Eighth Division.

"There seems to be some confusion on that point," Nanao answered her raising her glass to her lips. The small ceramic cup was cold against her mouth and the liquid inside burned her throat. The wine was not heated tonight, the women were having it chilled. Down the table, she could see that Matsumoto had ordered soba to have with her liquor. Nanao was glad she'd eaten at home. Liquor always made her stomach queasy anyway.

"What do you mean 'confusion'?" Isane asked.

"Yeah," Kiyone popped up across from them. "Does this mean he didn't dump you? I heard today that the two of you were hiding your romance to prevent an angry Captain Kyouraku from interfering but that Vice-Captain Hisagi had found a cute little waitress in the-"

"Vice-Captain Hisagi and I had one date." She took another drink. Her alcohol tolerance was strikingly poor. But, again, she had no job, what did it matter if she got piss poor drunk? "Tehre was no great love affair and no one was dumped. You arranged this little party for nothing."

"No offense, Ise-san, but Matsumoto-san likes any excuse for a party," Kiyone murmured.

Nanao slanted a glance down the table. Matsumoto had Nemu in a headlock. "That seems about right."

One drink became several. Quiet members opened up and girl-talk, the kind Nanao hated, was in full swing. Kissing and groping and stories of wild sexual romps the likes she'd had never experienced outside the pages of a book followed. To keep her mouth firmly closed about her lack of worldly glory to share, she imbibed.

More and more.

Nanao didn't have a job to go to in the morning, but the others did. Eager to be rid of them, she reminded the group of the hour as oft as possible and eventually some started to look antsy. Women, being women, were apt to travel in groups and slowly the "group" lessened until it was her and Matsumoto. The blonde had been clever and planted herself beside Nanao, curling their arms together to keep her from leaving and Nanao, having no where except home to go, had put up with it. After all, how often did someone arrange a party in her honor, even if for bogus reasons? So she sat with Matsumoto amongst the giggles and stupid stories until they were the last two left. Her eyes were getting heavy and her limbs the same and her voice sounded slurred in her own ears.

"You know what would be fun, Nanao-chan?"

The slender woman turned toward her busy counterpart. "Wha?"

Was the room spinning? Matsumoto giggled and leaned close to whisper in her ear. The thought was so absurd, so ludicrous… it might actually be fun and Nanao, the woman who hated giggling, giggled with her.

Utterly drunk.

* * *

AN: I'm working on 46 and it's a lot of fun. Needs work, only ~600 words right now but I'm tired so I'm taking a nap. Everyone's favorite thing will make an appearance, too Never expected this to happen, and I didn't expect the next chapter either, maybe you'll be as surprised as I was. I'm going to sleep but I may work on it later or tonight before work. If not, expect something by Wednesday night. My goal is 50 by Friday and that should be doable.


	46. Glasses

46 of 100: Glasses

* * *

The sun was ridiculously bright.

It was her first thought of the morning.

Her second wasn't really a second as much as it was a cacophony of ideas. A number of things assaulted her, little pieces of knowledge in quick succession. Her head hurt. The inside of her mouth was dry and tasted foul. Something beneath her back was jarring her and it ached, probably from the awkward position in which was lying. She was not in her own residence; that was quite evident.

Nanao blinked against the morning sun and wondered where she was. A sense of panic assaulted her as more facts asserted themselves in her recently upside down brain. She was not in her own home. Several items of her clothing were missing, most notably, all of them. Tucked around her body, to keep her warm was a soft velveteen blanket but beneath that… she felt cotton.

She hadn't been wearing cotton when she left home. Looking down she found herself dressed in a simple, if not large, western t-shirt. The look was not flattering. Her panties were intact and she was lying on a futon in the corner of someone's living room? There was a bookshelf and chairs and…she had never seen such a place in her life, where was she?

Sitting up, she pulled the blanket around herself for modesty and stumbled as she tried to stand up. Then she glared.

_Sure, get drunk_, she thought angrily_. And why not, she didn't have a job anymore, what did it matter? Who cared if she went home with strangers and did lewd things and then didn't remember them in the morning? _

Where were her clothes???

"Hey." The voice startled her to such a degree that Nanao jumped clutching the blanket to her body protectively as she whirled around. Luckily the floor was hardwood and her feet bare and she didn't catch the corner of her blanket and trip herself. There was no need for additional humiliation. Across the room, looking equally ruffled was Vice-Captain Hisagi. Dressed in just his white shitagi and black hakama bottoms, Nanao felt distinctly underdressed. He was scratching his head, his eyes still sleepy, and then he yawned. "Feel okay?"

Nanao couldn't render a sentence together. What had happened to her?

"You were … uh… kind of smashed last night. Didn't know you had it in you," he grinned at her then and it was a small, pleasant kind of expression that reminded her he was very handsome. "So, want…I don't know… breakfast?"

At least she knew where she was, that was one mystery solved. She shook her head quickly, her eyes darting around the room quickly. Clothes? Clothes!

"I appreciate the offer, where is my apparel?"

The grin made a return. "I put it in the bathroom. Not too long after you stripped it all off did you pass out. I gave you the shirt to sleep in last night though you didn't seem to care one way or another."

She wasn't sure what to do first but ultimately decided that the first order of business was proper clothing. "Where is your bathroom?" Nanao hoped she sounded prim and proper because she was certain she didn't look that way. Her clothing was missing and her hair was askew. She would've been appalled she hadn't put on any make-up except for the fact that she rarely wore it.

He pointed in a general direction and she wasted no time in following it. The bathroom was the only open door in the hall he'd pointed to and she gratefully stole away into it, still clutching the blanket to her body. How could this get any worse?

Drunk.

Stripping.

Hisagi.

Groaning, Nanao looked at her face in the mirror to realize she was blurry. Her glasses were missing.

Not only that.

What about her back?

Tattoo!

Had he seen it?

Throwing on her clothes, Nanao agonized. Her life was beginning to become unrecognizable to herself. What did one do when they did these like this? She didn't know. Deciding, however, that staring at her reflection wasn't going to solve her problems she bravely reached for the door handle.

Hisagi was in the next room, looking more alert as he sipped something that didn't smell distinctly so she guessed it was probably tea. He raised his eyes as she stepped into the room. Hopefully her sandals were by the door; her tabi had been with her clothes. Where the bindings for her breasts had gone she wasn't sure and didn't think she had the nerve to ask about it this morning. Maybe ever.

Her host started to talk but she stopped him. Or, he stopped when she formally bowed at the waist. "I'm extremely sorry to have imposed upon you this way, please forgive my rudeness."

Apologizing was the only thing she could think of to do. How else did one get out of these situations? They weren't good enough friends to just laugh it off and she had never been in this kind of situation before. It certainly wasn't funny.

The apology seemed to surprise him.

"Do you know where my glasses are?"

"On the table just over there," he pointed and she wandered over gratefully slipping them on. She felt marginally more normal, certainly she felt less naked. Standing there, staring at the wall, she questioned her next course of action. Turning, she figured she may as well face it all at once.

"How exactly did I get here?"

"I don't really know where you were before you got here, but you were already drunk. You and Matsumoto came together, though she left after you passed out."

Nanao scowled. "Why were we here?"

"She seemed to think I needed to be taught a lesson on 'letting a good woman go'. For some reason she seems to think I dumped you."

Nanao scowled harder. Of course, it was just like that lunatic to think something like that. "How does that relate to my clothing?"

"Striptease."

One word she hadn't needed. Nanao didn't striptease. She didn't dance. She didn't sing. She certainly didn't walk around half naked around people who were almost strangers to her. Fantastic, she thought moodily. Why had she ever thought getting drunk harmless? Next time she decided she had nothing to lose, she was going to do it at home. ALONE.

But deciding that didn't help her immediately so she faced the facts. The man had seen her drunk and half naked. What could she do to remedy that? Nothing.

"You passed out while Matsumoto was dancing. She called you a 'lightweight' and left you, so I made you up a bed in the corner over there. I figured you'd be upset enough when you woke up, plus I wasn't sure that your going with Matsumoto anywhere else was a good idea."

She wanted to say that she was a lousy, lousy drunk but didn't feel the words were necessary. He seemed to understand that perfectly.

"I'm sorry for everything. I'm going to go home now."

Whirling around, she marched herself to the door. She never heard his footsteps behind her, didn't even know he was there, not until one large male hand settled directly on her spine. A very gentle touch, but one that centered flat center over that abomination beneath her clothes. "You're really a surprising person, Ise-san."

"Really?" she asked dryly. She wasn't going to like this either, she could feel it.

"I'm a tattoo kind of guy, myself, but I never took you for the type."

He knew!

Well, of course he knew, she thought sourly. It wasn't enough she was apparently parading her breasts around, she was also parading around her tattoo... she wanted to scream.

"Does the Captain know about this?"

"He doesn't," she spat. "And if you mention even a breath of it, I'll rip your scalp off."

Hisagi laughed making her feel even more ridiculous and more angry and Nanao threw the door open. "I feel better though. At least I know it's not me being uninteresting, its you being already spoken for."

Nanao didn't acknowledge the remark as she left. Saying anything else could only make everything worse. She had said and done quite enough.

*

*

*

Across town, Matsumoto Rangiku snored, passed out on the floor surrounded by sake bottles under the level stare of a little white kitty named Olio.

* * *

AN: I almost did have Nanao get another tattoo. But I couldn't think of where to put it or what it would say. After all, I think the original tattoo is unlikely enough. Captain Kyouraku has many things to catch up on. If I'm not busy at work I'll start 47 tonight using my Neo, if not I'll start tomorrow morning when I get home.


	47. Ability

47 of 100: Ability

* * *

The building smelled of cedar wood. It was the best description she could think of. The long halls, the dim lighting and the wood smell made her also think, "fire hazard" but if the First Division headquarters was at risk for burning down it wasn't her responsibility. At the end of the hall, she spotted the Vice-Captain Saskibe patiently waiting for her. He didn't as much as twitch until she was standing directly in front of him.

"Vice-Captain Sasakibe, Sir." She bowed formally. Her summons had been formal and direct.

"Ise Nanao, we have been waiting for you. Please follow me."

Belatedly, she remembered that she was no longer a Vice-Captain and that his address of her with no title was absurdly correct. It had been a long time since she had been a plain soldier and she wasn't sure she liked it.

The wide, western doors behind him creaked open and she found herself face to face with the First Division Commander and he wasn't alone. His sparse desk was flanked by men she'd never seen before but the clothing they wore was familiar. The black standard uniform was topped by jacket length haori bearing the circular crest of the Kidou Corps. It had been ages since she'd last seen one so close. Nor were the officers the only persons waiting. It seemed as though she were the last to arrive of a rather unlikely team.

Hinamori Momo and Yamada Hanatarou were also there, each looking equally puzzled.

"Ah, now everyone is here."

* * *

Shunsui curled onto his side and sighed. He had spurned the offer of tea from Jyuushiro and instead and settled for lying on the floor despondently, sighing at odd intervals, and being stonily silent.

"You can't lay here all day," his long time friend pointed out. "I was supposed to go into work this morning and if I don't show up soon I'm sure Kiyone and Sentaro will be here to ensure themselves of my health."

"You can go to work," Shunsui answered lazily. "I'll just lay here."

"I don't understand," Jyuushiro answered as he sipped his tea, eying his friend, who showed no signs of moving. "Has something happened?"

"My life has gone to hell."

"Just because things with Ise-san are a little off doesn't equal the end of the world. She'll be back soon."

"Not soon enough, and worse," Shunsui rolled over suddenly and sat up straight. "The Old Man picked her up for assignment."

The announcement surprised the white haired man. "What kind of assignment?"

"An assignment I don't want her going on," Shunsui answered moodily. "The Kido Corps is running some kind of joint project with Division One, and Nanao has been chosen to go."

"Did he say what kind of project?"

"I wasn't permitted to details - only that it involved testing out some kind of new kido."

* * *

"If I may be permitted, our goal then is to slay hollows for two weeks using the kido spells provided as our only offense _and _defense?" Nanao asked.

The officer on the left, with the blond spiky hair and sunglasses grinned revealing a set of rather pointed teeth. "We're not prohibiting use of your zanpakuto, we're requesting that you don't use it. The kido sets that we're turning over to you and Hinamori-san were designed for Kido Corps exclusive use, however, we're not finding them very useful. Our governing council decided to arrange this test to see if practicing shinigami may have more use for them in actual combat as the Kido Corps does not engage in Hollow combat activity."

The other officer, the one with the shaved head and a scowl decided to offer more. "All we want to do is test their usability for possible release into the Honor Kido Program at the Academy or into the Master Kido Course that both you ladies are graduates of. All kido provided to for your use and knowledge are classified materials. You will not be permitted to perform these kido outside of the testing range of these two weeks until they are officially released. You are not permitted to reveal the contents of this training period to any of your friends or superior officers."

Blondie smiled. "You will be required to sign a waiver and a term of use release. You will be subject to monitoring by the Kido Corps following the trial if suspicion dictates. The testing grounds chosen are outside of Soul Society itself in a real combat zone in the real world. You are not being provided back-up for this assignment, but we have arranged one medical officer, also held to the same standards, for your use."

"Why isn't the Kido Corps office handling their own testing?"

"We have tested them," the shaven haired man answered. "But our tests were designed with our members in mind. It seemed useless to have us test them when for _your_ use. We do not operate under the same conditions."

"I see," Nanao answered.

"We asked the Division Commander to choose a group worthy of this purpose; we have also requested that this be a voluntary assignment due to the possible danger we are subjecting you to. Your medical officer Yamada Hanatarou was chosen by the medical Captain herself."

"The testing period is how long?" Nanao asked again.

"Two weeks. We will provide you with only the kido sets, your accommodations and pay during your stay in the real world must be managed on your own. We will monitor the situation as it unfolds but will not interfere in any matter, but as we understand, Yamada-san has experience in real-world missions."

"I'm not sure," Hinamori confessed, staring at the floor. "I've never done this kind of thing before."

Nanao took stock of her would-be team. First there was the battle-shy Hinamori, who could say whether she'd be any help or not and then there was the perpetually anxious medical officer, Yamada. On the positive side she would learn new kido and test that out in battle, something she'd wanted to do before she returned to Division Eight. Battle experience. That was all the reasoning she needed except for one tiny catch. "Who will be leading this team?"

The First Division commander raised his head. His gaze had been settled quietly on his desk, his fingers folded together whilst he listened. "This is a complicated situation. As of yesterday, you are no longer a seated officer, Ise Nanao, but you hold more experience than either of those who have been chosen to accompany you. Let it be noted at the outset that you are outranked by Hinamori."

"I'm aware," Nanao replied, lowering her gaze. If only she hadn't been so impulse and resigned _yesterday._

"Oh, no, General Commander," Hinamori murmured quickly, her voice gaining strength. "Please, I have no problems at all following the command of Ise-san. She is much more skilled than I and I don't think I'd be comfortable being team leader."

"Very well then, Ise, you will lead the team. Have you decided to go then, Hinamori?"

"Yes, Sir. It is a rather unique opportunity and if Ise-san is so comfortable then I think I would not want to miss out," she answered squeezing her hands together.

"Yamada, your answer?" The Division One Commander seemed to thunder the young man's name.

"Um…" he scratched his head. "I feel a little outclassed, maybe someone stronger should go."

"Strength isn't going to be a necessity for the job. You are solely coming along as support and I assure you that no harm will come to you during your brief stay with us," Nanao answered.

Yamada shifted and frowned. "I'm… not sure."

* * *

"They're going to steal her from me, Jyuu… I can feel it down to my _bones," _Shunsui moaned unhappily.

"Every time I think to myself, you must be sober, you sway a little in that certain way and I am reminded that you are drunk," his friend answered, ignoring the previous comment entirely.

Just then a wild pounding happened upon the door before it was thrust open and two people battled to squeeze themselves in at the same time.

_"CAPTAIN!"_

_"You're so pale!"_

_"Do you need assistance?"_

_"Let me make tea for you_!"

They fell in the doorway and collapsed down onto their knees... and then they bowed formally, only to bump elbows and glare at one another.

"You-" the growled simultaneously before reaching for each other.

"Kiyone, Sentaro, please go back. I will be in a little later."

The two third seated officers stopped pulling at each other's faces just in time for Kiyone to gasp wildly. "Captain! Did you hear? Ise-san spent the night at Hisagi-san's house!!! Everyone is talking about it!"

Jyuushiro's eyes widened. "Ah… oh, my. I hadn't thought the two of them were so-"A quick glance at his friend revealed a dark, glittering glare.

Belatedly, the two third-seats turned too, and shrunk away quickly. "_C-Captain Kyouraku, Sir…"_

_"We should be going."_

_"Yes, going."_

_"Far away, Sir."  
_

_"Far, far away!" _

The door snapped shut behind two fleeing officers and Jyuushiro's curiosity was spiked. "You know about Hisagi and Ise?"

* * *

AN: Going midnight shopping tonight, but I almost have 48 finished, so I decided to post this one. Plus I have ideas for 49 and 50. Nanao in the real world, FUN.


	48. Smile

48 of 100: Smile

Unedited.

* * *

If Nanao were with him, she'd say "Drunkenness was for the weak," or something profound. As it was, he was alone in near freezing temperatures as he walked to his goal. Sobriety, he'd always felt, was overrated. When he reached the front step of his destination, his hands were thoroughly chilled. A quick knock brought a quick response; the door slid open.

A swift eye assessed him and slender hands widened the door for him to enter. "You shouldn't be outside in just that. It's below freezing tonight."

"My Nanao-chan's worrying about her Captain," he sang softly as he pulled the door closed, following her inside. It was worrying to him that she didn't correct him, not telling him to not call her Nanao-chan and not contesting that he was her Captain. Instead, she headed for the nearby sitting room.

"Sit down," she ordered and he obeyed, curling down onto her warm cushion. She was quick to slide a soft, fluffy blanket around his shoulders and he was grateful for the warmth and the fact that it smelled like her. Had he the ability, he would've purred contentedly. "Do you want something hot to drink?"

"This is good enough," he answered.

"You look like you haven't slept."

"I slept a little today," he answered, yawning. Probably not enough, it had been four or so hours in the afternoon.

"Have you even taken your winter coat out of storage yet?"

There was an edge to her voice that was confusing him because he wasn't sure what he'd done to anger her. The small table between them was a very unwelcome obstacle. It would be a delicious pleasure to kick it out of the way and crawl over to her but the sound of her voice urged caution.

"I think my coat is still in storage," he mused.

"Or at least one of your wool kimono," she observed. "At this rate, you'll only weather your pink silk."

"You resigned your post yesterday."

"A day too soon," she confessed softly. "I almost found myself beneath the command of _Hinamori._"

"When are you leaving?"

"In the morning, I requested early deployment. How did you know I was going anywhere?" she quirked an eyebrow.

"The Old Man told me."

"Why you and not Captain Ukitake?"

"Because you're mine."

A moment of stilted silence followed. "Is that so? He had to give you time to, what, object?"

"I did object," the Captain leaned back resting his weight on one hand behind him pressed against the floor. The blanket dipped off of one shoulder but the warmth of her home had crept inside his skin. "I'm no longer your Captain, you're not in my Division anymore, so I was told I had no basis for objection. I would have had Jyuu object, but you left him last night, so there's some minor confusion on which Division you currently belong to."

"I assumed I was unranked Thirteen. In any case, I don't want anyone objecting; I want to go."

"Yes," he frowned. "Off to play with the Kidou Corps again."

"It's been a long time since I've worked with them and they are included only as observation only."

"The only thing they want to observe, Nanao, is if they want to reoffer you and that Hinamori girl jobs in Kido Corps so they can tuck you away in their classified halls where no one will ever see you again."

"Nonsense," she dismissed. "You just don't want me making my own decisions. I can take care of myself."

"I've told you before," he replied calmly.

_70? 80? Years ago… _

"I don't want you to join the Kido Corps." Pushing the table aside, he unfolded his legs and pushed up onto his knees, crawling the pace or two between them and reaching up to cup one side of her face. "How much more plain can I say it?"

Nanao gave a despondent sigh and surprised him by falling forward, his hand slipping away from her face, her forehead coming to rest against his chest. Sitting back, he pulled her with him, sliding his arms around her tiny frame, cradling her in his lap.

"Nanao-chan's been having a hard time," he whispered softly, his chin tucked neatly against the top of her head.

"I haven't made so many bad decisions in succession since…ever. But I want to go on this mission tomorrow."

"Who's going with you?"

"Hinamori Momo from Fifth and Yamada Hanatarou from Fourth."

"When will you be back?" he murmured against her hair.

"Two weeks."

"If you're not here, I'm coming after you."

Her smile was hidden against his uniform. In the morning she would leave him once again. This time for more dangerous pastures.

* * *

AN: I'm on my way out the door. I plan to start 49 when I get home tonight since I may go out to early morning sales in the AM. I'm working tomorrow night anyway, so why not?


	49. Tactician

49 of 100: Tactician

SIDESTORY

* * *

The girl's brow furrowed as she stared at the checkered board. Her opponent was busy sipping his tea between turns, holding the cup close to his face so the steam warmed his cheek. Since the loss of Vice-Captain Yadomaru, the monthly readings had undergone a change. No longer did she sit near him whilst they read and had a question session, now she was only given a precious half hour of reading time. The other half hour he'd allotted her had become "game time". It was a concept that she'd first been unpleased with.

When he'd first introduced her to the game, she'd been reluctant. Nanao was a reader, not a girl who enjoyed playing. She had never been one for much social interaction with others unless goal directed. Captain Kyouraku had been insistent and playful as he explained the pieces and their moves. Often his lighthearted explanations wandered into unrelated territory and she found her attention wandering away from him.

She had learned it all some months ago. Thus far, she hadn't come close to winning despite putting her best effort into studying his moves. Despite her losses, she remained patient, plodding ahead game after game.

"Are you playing, Nanao-chan, or daydreaming?"

It was her turn again. The young girl pursed her lips into a frown. "I'm playing," she grumbled, hastily choosing the piece she'd been considering before moving it a space diagonally onto a black square.

"Checkmate," he announced softly, as he repositioned his queen, neatly boxing her into a trap. Nanao squeezed her fists and clenched her teeth in frustration. It was no fun to lose _all_ the time. No matter where she moved her king, she was defeated, caged in by the queen and that pesky little knight. The game was over.

"You aren't thinking ahead," he observed. "You're making short term moves. Practice for next time."

Quietly, Nanao accepted his advice and carefully cleared the board, stacking the wooden pieces back into the box. It would go into the little corner closet in the hall until next month.

"Don't look so defeated, Nanao-chan. You've got a good start."

* * *

"Are you declining me?"

Nanao looked up at the tone. It was her free hour. She still had to complete three more reports before she could see the new Vice-Captain of the Division for her new training regimen. She had been one of a handful to receive a personalized schedule. "No, Sir. I merely didn't want to distract you from your work. I'm sure you have more important things to do than play chess."

He was holding onto the box. The last time they'd played she had been the one caring it to and fro, how times had changed. Of course, she had been a child then with child like enthusiasm, a girl with no real active duties.

"That sounds like a 'yes,' my little Nanao."

Her brow scrunched but she remained silent as she continued to look over her paperwork. As Fifth Seat there were certain filings she was supposed to complete. Without prompting from her, he set up the board, laying out all the pieces in their appropriate squares. Nanao was always the white set. He had chosen the color for her from the first game and so it had always been.

Thus, Nanao always moved first.

"Come and play with me, Nanao-chan," he sang.

Seeing as he wasn't going to leave her to her work, she got up from her place and moved over to where he was seated waiting for her. If she didn't he would just start something else even more annoyed, like singing whole songs. There hadn't even been occasion for him to start making faces at her, she'd just capitulated. It was better, she theorized, if she just lost quickly and let him go, but knew all too well that he'd see through such an effort. She would have to try to win before she lost.

They hadn't played this game since her childhood. Was he being nostalgic? She'd never seen him play with anyone else in the office except her.

Now, unlike before, she watched his moves not to see where he was moving, but _why_ he was moving them. At least, that was her intention. Her attention wandered, without her implicit consent, to watching his hands instead of the pieces. Captain Kyouraku moved in a slow manner, never rushed. It was deliberate and he seemed never to second guess his choice. Not only that, his large fingers dwarfed the tiny wooden pieces, though she supposed they always had. His hands had not gotten larger, she had just never noticed.

It was an unwanted observation and it wasn't the only one. The way he looked at the board and looked at _her _had changed. Especially since she'd stopped reading and playing with the Captain and grown away from him. In the interim, she'd become uncomfortable with someone who previously had made her feel safe. Now, sitting directly across from him, she wondered why that was and how such a thing happened, but she only needed to look up to meet his gaze to understand the why of it.

Nanao-chan had grown up and Captain Kyouraku had noticed.

It wasn't just that she wasn't the same person; he wasn't either. Try as he might, relating to her in the same manner he had when she was a child only offended her. Was it _her_ that had caused his change of behavior or had he done it on his own? He _still_ called her Nanao-chan.

For whatever reasons he held onto "Nanao-chan", but he didn't _look_ at her like she was a child. Maybe that's what made her uncomfortable, even though she knew what he was like. Females were, according to him, made to be flirted with and she was a female. Even if he _didn't _flirt with her. It was… she sighed.

"Check."

There was no surprise on her face when he said it. Nanao's expression didn't even flicker. The quiet proclamation was met with utter silence. She stared at her remaining pieces. She was two moves away from cornering his king, but she could not ignore being in check or the game was over. As she stared at the configuration, she wondered if he was going easy on her. Perhaps she was still not up to par with playing with him.

He shifted the way he sat, adjusting his weight and her eyes followed the lines of his uniform, specifically the ones over his chest. The great triangle revealing his bronzed skin widened and hastily she dropped her eyes reaching for her king moving him one pace to the right only to realize what a mistake she'd made the moments she released it.

The bishop had her.

That's what happened when one noticed too much about an opponent. She could move to the left again but then there was his queen and she was already in check for a second time. Her turn was over. She had moved _herself_ into checkmate.

"Nice game, you've improved."

"I lost," she stated flatly.

"Was your mind on the game?"

There was something about the way he said that that sounded almost like it was something it shouldn't have been. What was he suggesting that she'd been thinking about? A flash of his chest in her memory refreshed her… he'd noticed that?!

She curled her nails into her fists to stop the guilty flush on her face but she thought she failed as she felt warm. Keeping her eyes lowered, she answered neutrally. "My mind was where it ought to have been, Sir."

Low, self-satisfied laughter made her think she'd given him the answer he wanted. "Good."

* * *

"A game, a game, Nanao-chan."

Already, he was starting to sound whiny. She hated when he got whiny. There were odd faces involved and pleading and then he'd tug on her sleeves and, if that failed, he'd get even _closer_ trying to hug her… Ugh.

"Don't call me that," she replied tartly. "I am busy."

"Too busy for quality time with your Captain? These precious years are irreplaceable, one day when I'm gone you'll regret-"

"Fine," she snapped. "One game. Then I want you to sit down and read a report, there are seven today that need your attention."

"Ah, how times have changed," he mused as he sat down to start setting up the board. "I remember how my little Nanao used to be so quiet and respectful."

"Before she grew up and realized what a lazy man she worked for," Nanao countered, trying to keep reading. Those times were long gone. She wasn't a little girl, she wasn't an unnamed seated officer anymore trying to please a studious Vice-Captain, she _was_ the Vice-Captain and motivating him had become her job. Even if it required her to keep him in check.

He set up the board while she read. Her attention waivered, however, each time he laid down a new piece on a new square. Wood touching wood made a sort of clacking sound. And maybe because it had been years since she'd seen those fingers touch those tiny wooden pieces. He might've played since then, but not with her.

"First move is yours."

First move was always hers.

The rhythm of the game hadn't changed in the intervening years. Nanao sat across from him in quiet contemplation, her mind stretched between time periods. Pawns charged forward to be swallowed up by competition only to be followed by the stronger equipped. Nanao watched his queen carefully; she remembered his penchant for the female powerhouse. Quietly, she laid a trap for his king, one move of a bishop here, another for the knight. The rooks moved like they were truly made of stone, lumbering into her plan. The queen remained under her watchful eye.

"Check."

Lavender eyes widened and fists curled as she surveyed the board… and then wanted to hurl it at him. She had been paying attention! She had planned!

His queen!

No, not his queen, but one of the quick stepped bishops. It was not a trap, it was not one move from check mate but the announcement startled her. She moved her king and watched his queen sweep across the board to the other side.

No!

She _hated_ chess.

"Check."

She could still escape but her moves were rapidly dwindling. In one turn she'd gone from offense to defense and now into desperation. Before her eyes, her plan was crumbling. If she could not escape, the plan was useless. His trap had caught her first.

One last move.

"Check mate."

Nanao took a moment to absorb her most recent loss. Her strategy lay abandoned at his edge of the board. Too caught up in defending herself, she'd been unable to move forward.

She didn't know what to say.

"Good game, Nanao-chan."

Every time.

Another loss.

No matter the books she read or the practice games she tried, not once had she been able to defeat him. Not once had she been able to keep her mind fully on the game, either.

"Why do you continue to ask me to play?" she asked, not looking up.

"How will you get any better if you don't practice against another sharp mind?"

Was that really why he asked, even if he had a legitimate point? Maybe she ought to play more often, she prided herself on her planning abilities. She ought to be able to win a chess match with him… and if she got to enjoy his company for a while, that was a little, secret bonus, wasn't it?

Nanao's time with Captain Kyouraku.

With a quick sigh, Nanao reached forward and used her arm to slide the board completely clear knocking off all the remaining pieces at once.

"One more time?" she asked.

Looking up, she could've sworn his eyes were sparkling at her.

* * *

AN: The Shunsui/Nanao 101 Years of Love community has offered a challenge for all Bleach writers! It starts today! See my profile and join in the FUN!


	50. Chain

50 of 100: Chain

* * *

The instructions, for Nanao, were easy to follow. She had seen such a thing as a "kidou chain" before, though the reference had been old and the technique even older. Once, she had even successfully performed it, and though it had been arduous, it had been rather spectacular. It had also been a much smaller succession of hand movements and spiritual power gathering. Now, looking over the tiny booklet provided to them by the elusive Kidou Corps, she wondered how her partner felt about it and if she had experience with chain work. The younger girl was a well-known kidou user and had a kidou-type zanpakuto, how that reflected on her skills, Nanao wasn't sure.

"Brilliant!" Hinamori exclaimed. "Have you ever seen something so magnificent?"

To explain that she had, in fact, seen something like it before sounded arrogant and superior in her head, so Nanao allowed the comment to be rhetorical. Also, she wasn't exactly sure what was "magnificent" about it as Hinamori poured over the little folio, singular. The Kidou Corps had been expectantly stingy and provided one copy which they were only permitted to use for 24 hours.

"Can we practice now?"

Nanao could hardly see any other option. They had a strict time limit. They needed to memorize the words, the spiritual control and the hand movements in a short period of time. It was barely dawn. Nanao had been quick to send off Hanatarou, not to protect him from the forbidden kidou, but to find them much needed housing. It would be too taxing to travel from Soul Society and back twice daily. They could spend their tiny two weeks in the real world. Matsumoto, if Nanao recalled, had had a good time and maybe she could too.

"You've never memorized a chain before, correct?" Nanao asked.

Hinamori, with bright, eager eyes shook her head negatively. "No. Have you?"

Nanao sighed and snapped the little folio closed. Once again, she was relegated to the role of teacher.

* * *

Hinamori was a quick student who required very little teaching. It made Nanao wonder if she was a fine teacher or if the girl was simply an apt pupil. The latter had the effect of making Nanao slightly ill natured, rousing a slightly competitive ire in her belly. Nanao didn't like to be competitive, but her pride was prickly and she didn't like the thought of being second best.

The hand motions and the words were memorized. Once successfully completed in order, with proper positioning, the kidou itself could be manipulated a hundred different ways, offensively or defensively. It was the control of the spiritual power backing the kidou that was difficult.

Again, Hinamori picked it up with little difficulty. She would be a wise addition to the Kidou Corps, Nanao was beginning to realize. But if that's what the younger girl had in mind, Nanao had no interest in following.

When they finally had as much practice as they could stomach, they decided they needed a Hollow to practice on. Problem being, as life was expectantly difficult, no such low-level Hollows had yet appeared. Nanao's hand-held communicator, the same given to those standard patrol shinigami, had alarmed three times but they had all been eliminated or dispersed before they had arrived.

As the afternoon was wearing on, both she and her partner were tiring and frustrated. They had agreed to meet Hanatarou at the nearby park at sunset. To make matters worse, Nanao was beginning to have very serious doubts about their "mission parameters".

It had become apparent very early on that performing kidou chains was difficult due to the sheer effort of creating one. Secondly, it required a good portion of concentration, something one often didn't have a lot to spare in a tense battle. Thirdly, a kidou chain was a skill that was easily classifiable in a level 80 category, something most standard shinigami couldn't manage.

The preliminary data was in.

Kidou chains of any variety were not appropriate for one on one battle.

* * *

"Where is he? I'm _starving_!"

Hinamori would complain about being hungry, but Nanao was positive the girl wasn't likely to go off and leave the group. Instead, she sat on her end of the bench and moaned belatedly about dinner while Nanao waited silently. For their first twelve hour day, they had managed to memorize and successfully perform the chain, even if their manipulations of it had been poor.

It seemed a certain waste of time to put so much work into learning something that in two weeks time would be a forbidden skill.

"Do you think he got lost?"

The communicators were programmed. Pulling it out, Nanao pressed speed dial number two, the number she'd given his phone. Hinamori, but sheer chance, was number three. He answered after seven rings, sounded flustered.

"Y-yes? Wait, I mean, hello?"

"Hanatarou Yamada, report your location."

"Vice-Captain Ise!" It sounded like his spine tightened and his shoulders stiffened just by listening to his voice. "I am at the park bench, ma'am."

"Obviously the wrong one since Hinamori and I have been waiting for you for a half hour."

He then proceeded to explain how he'd managed to get where he was and describe said location. When Nanao disconnected, she motioned wordlessly for Hinamori to follow her. There was a tiny patch of woods nearby through which another park bench was visible. As the two of them neared, the figure sitting on the bench became more recognizable.

"Hanatarou!"

Hinamori ran ahead suddenly waving to get the young man's attention and Nanao just watched the reunion. Then she wondered if the young man's blush was indicative of a crush on the girl or embarrassment. The first words out of his mouth were apologizes when Nanao approached. She ignored it.

"Did you find lodging?"

He took a moment to fidget and scratch his head. Hanatarou's first task had been to procure a gigai, something he'd obviously completed. She and Hinamori would not need such things until at least the next day. "Apparently, you can't get a rental unless you have proof of a job."

"…"

"But," he brightened suddenly, looking proud. "It took almost all day, but I got a job!"

"You weren't looking for a job," Nanao reminded him. "You were looking for housing."

The courage strengthening his spine leaked out and he withered. "But I went to a couple of places, not just one, and they all said that without a job, they wouldn't rent to me and I couldn't prove I had a job because –"

"I understand," Nanao interrupted. "You managed to find a job."

"Yes!" he continued dimly. "And tomorrow I have to go to work so I can prove I have a job so I can find us housing!"

Nanao took a deep breath. "Basically, you're saying we're homeless."

"Well," the boy fidgeted, scratching his nose, and shuffling his feet. "Well… yes."

* * *

AN: It would be much cooler to see, like in an anime, a kidou chain animated. A description of it I think would only be boring so I'm not going to spend a lot of time on this.


	51. Indirectly

51 of 100: Indirectly

* * *

The knock at his door that afternoon drew a lazy gaze upward and the Captain yawned. It couldn't be Honda; he'd sent him out on a routine mission with some of the new graduates hours ago. If he was back before sundown it would be a miracle. "What is it?"

Suki, one of the front secretaries, was holding an envelope. "We've received this for you, Sir, from Division Twelve. It's marked urgent."

The Captain's eyes lit up. "Urgent" could only mean one thing that the kid he'd elicited a favor from over in Twelve had found something. It had been easy to bribe the young man; a night on the town with the ladies had done the trick. And as it was, the task was an easy one, especially for the Technology Division.

Captain Kyouraku had only wanted one thing: monitor the bank account of one Ise Nanao whilst she was away in the real world. If there was one thing he knew solidly about Nanao it was that she liked to shop and if she was shopping, everything was going well.

He accepted the envelope and the secretary vanished. Tearing it open he read over the scant report.

One entry, from yesterday, but the amount was staggering. What had she done, purchased real-estate?

There was no listing of purchases or the location of purchases only a time stamp and a date and the amount. There was no account balance listed but he was certain the five digit withdraw hadn't damaged her funds.

Standing, he left the report he'd been dutifully reading open where it was on his desk. Might as well head over to Division Twelve, maybe he'd take a little bribe over to the kid whose name he couldn't remember. He knew his face though, he was a little scruffy.

* * *

"I'm so sorry, I can fix this," Hanatorou pleaded. "I'll pay you back."

"Oh yes," Hinamori piped up, looking very earnest. "We will both pay you back."

That she'd just extended a small fortune for an apartment was apparently going to be the topic of the evening. Nanao eyed Hanatarou. "You will go to your job tomorrow so we have food money. There will be no more discussion of paying me for anything. Hinamori and I will continue with our research."

Hinamori's stomach growled loudly. "Oh, I guess I'm still hungry."

Nanao added a few more things to her mental list, a rice machine and a stock of rice to keep her little soldiers fed. Hinamori, it looked like, had quite an appetite. Then there was the matter of procuring a gigai for herself and Hinamori, something she could take care of in the morning.

There was housing but, belatedly, she realized there was not a thing in it. No food, furniture… bedding. They'd be sleeping on the floor in their uniforms. This was worse than the academy.

"Hanatarou, give me your gigai."

The boy stumbled over himself to obey and Nanao suited up. "I'll be back soon. Don't lock me out."

With that, she was going shopping.

* * *

Captain Kyouraku's eyes were stinging as he peered at the paper. Having had less than an hour of sleep in about twenty hours he didn't feel up to reading reports. Blearily, he eyed the paper harder.

It was a shopping list.

Why was he looking at a shopping list? Putting the paper aside he glanced at the writing. Division Twelve: Urgent. Oh… he yawned. Nanao's shopping probably. He'd gone asking for a more detailed report. Picking up the paper, his last link to Nanao, he looked at it once more.

It was uninteresting in the extreme. Rice machine, pillows, blankets, tabi, soap, tea, tea machine… the woman was stocking a house. He put the list aside and laid his head down on the desk and dreamed about Nanao buying lingerie.

* * *

AN: I have an outline for this, isn't that something? The SxN contest is over. I got a fanart... it's GORGEOUS. It involves shirtless Shunsui and Nanao, pure hotness.

* * *


	52. Memory

52 of 100: Memory Loss

* * *

By her count of things, it had been four days since they'd come to the real world for testing of kidou chains. It had been rather hum drum. Hollow, battle, kidou… from fight to fight. Nothing new or flashy had happened. The days simply had wandered by one after another and the nights followed after like a strange series of sleepovers. It was almost like being in a mini-camp.

Things became repetitive. In her experience one was more likely to remember things in a repetitive environment, not forget them. As it was, her last couple of days had been odd ones, she'd forgotten things and she normally forgot nothing. Maybe it was just the lax environment. It wasn't a major catastrophe she'd forgotten to turn on the rice machine with dinner one night or that she'd forgotten her house key.

Nanao knew that she had bought most of the things in the apartment but there were certain things there she was certain she'd never seen before like the little yellow pillow in the other room or the blue lap blanket. Hanatarou had gotten his pay check yesterday? Or close to yesterday and he'd gone on a shopping spree with Hinamori while Nanao had slept. Maybe those were his things.

That was another thing that was bothering her. She was _tired._ If Hinamori felt the same things that she'd been feeling over the last couple of days, the girl was being quiet about it. Nanao didn't think that she had used the forbidden kidou more than the other girl but… now, if she recollected, Hinamori was substituting other kidou into the chains, the more familiar kidou that they'd used for decades.

Maybe she ought to sit down and talk with her about it.

Maybe she ought to talk with Hanatorou about her health.

Was she physically fit enough to see to the end of this mission? Nanao was beginning to doubt it. Her strange fatigue, the heaviness of her limbs, the tingling… she hadn't experienced anything like this in ages. On top of that she had been forgetting things.

Minor things.

Even if they were minor things, the phenomena was bothering her. It wasn't like her for anything to be amiss like this. Now, in the apartment alone, Nanao retreated quietly to the back room that she and Hinamori were sharing. The fatigue had crept back in and she needed to rest.

* * *

"How is your mission going, if I am allowed to ask?"

Hinamori looked up from her book. The store had called to her since she'd noticed it and she'd been dying to go inside. Her pocket money was gone and she hadn't the means or the funds to withdraw any from her account in Soul Society. She was stuck taking peeks in the bookstore in her free time. Hanatarou's quiet inquiry made her frown.

"It's going all right. Not what I expected." Snapping the book closed crisply, she turned it to the shelf. Quietly, she directed him out of the store until they were in the street again wandering through the crowds. "Did you have something on your mind?"

He seemed momentarily more interested in looking in shop windows as they walked and for a long time he was quiet. "Vice-Captain Ise seems different lately."

"You've noticed that too?" she asked softly. "I haven't wanted to say anything because she can be a little prickly about personal matters and we're not really that good of friends but… I am a little concerned."

An empty nearby bench provided a little haven for conversation.

"I thought perhaps it might related to our research," she confided. "We're not supposed to tell you anything about that since its classified but I've been feeling odd lately… and she uses… does… the thing much more than I… and I've gotten scared that we're hurting ourselves unintentionally. I'm not sure how to talk to her about it."

A breeze ruffled through the air.

"Should we say something to her?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe we should just keep a close eye on her."

Returning to the apartment an hour later, they found it curiously empty. Even a search of the back bedroom proved nothing. A simple note was discovered on the counter.

"Gone shopping."

* * *

AN: The shopping bit I got from her Wiki profile... and I don't know about everyone else but I see Nanao as a saver of money.


	53. Trickery

53 of 100: Trickery

* * *

Honda Kano wasn't a dull-witted man. Sure, he was rather young to be a Vice-Captain and he had problems garnering the respect of his colleagues and Captain. That didn't mean he was stupid. One might say he had a nose for being nosy. Or, taking offense to the term, "nosy" one might say curious. After all, everyone was curious.

Despite his nature-given curiosity, he wasn't in the habit of sneaking around. At least, not on purpose. As it happened, he was in the rear courtyard of Division Two, which was large and had a grove of large trees that made for good hiding places when one didn't want to be disturbed. It was also close to the ladies bathing hall and his tree had an excellent vantage point of a doorway that afforded him glances of bare skin every time someone went in or out of the place. He wasn't a pervert; he was just a curious man. Or, maybe a curious appreciative man was more appropriate.

Whilst lounging in his tree between peepings he'd been trying to read. It had been a two-fold venture to plop up in the tree. Left up there with little distraction he'd been forced to review his manual. It had belonged to his previous Vice-Captain Ise Nanao and he'd "borrowed" it from the office shelf. He figured as long as he took it back, no harm. Unfortunately for him he'd found the text boring and had come up with the tree plan. So far the results were fifty-fifty.

_"It's only a matter of time, really._"

Honda blinked himself awake; unaware he'd been drifting off. Quietly, he straightened against the bark, digging it into his spine uncomfortably. The voice raised the hairs on the back of his neck.

_"A matter of time, Sir?"_

Who was that below? Honda peered to the right, balancing his weight carefully. Just a couple of guys walking past below. He didn't recognize them as any officers he knew and neither were ranked Captains. So what was the root of that quiver running down his spine?

_"Just a matter of time, Goto. Don't lag behind."_

It was obvious the shorter guy was in charge. His chubby finger was tapping his lip as if he were in deep thought.

_"Our numbers have been damaged by the Grass Project. We can't afford all new recruits at a time like this and the Gotei-13 Captains are so damn prickly about their officers." _

_"I thought you said that none of the Divisions had any worthy officers?" _

The tall skinny one must be called Goto then. Who was the short round one? The bossy guy? And just what were they talking about?

"They don't," the man snarled, his lip curling. "But there are a few amateurs that might be worthy of my attention. We'll see, now come along, there are a few more stops we must make today."

Honda watched them clear the trees, the tall one loping behind his superior. He still couldn't pinpoint why he'd gotten such a weird feeling. Deciding he wasn't going back to the office until at least two o'clock when the Captain's mood would be better, he returned to his book with a sigh. Maybe Captain Kyouraku knew who they were.

* * *

On the countertop before him, green fluid boiled. It would need to do so for at least another hour. Akon stared at the bottles absently noting the rate of bubbling. It had reached peak temperature. There was nothing to do but wait. This particular experiment had been tried before and there were no noted changes to document for at _least_ an hour.

Turning, he eyed his blackened monitor. He hadn't heard from Ise in quite a long time. Bored fingers flicked on the power button and the screen lit up in luminous blue. While he waited for it to boot to the command screen, he considered. She was probably in her office about now. Maybe he could risk a visit later. When the monitor chirped, he glanced up and typed in her name. The electronic database was maintained hourly by the Division Twelve Registration offices six floors above his head. In moments, her stoic faced stared back at him, the standard file photo, and beside it her most current data.

Ise Nanao.

Division Thirteen.

Standard.

He stared at it a long moment. "Standard" was the term used for shinigami of no rank. Standard? She was rank and file? Since when? Finding the history tab he briefly reviewed and found she wasn't in her office. Hers or anyone else's. Ise Nanao was on "official leave at an unknown location". Following that, he found her resignation. The updates had almost come on top of each other. Scrolling to the bottom he checked the last date. Only a few days previous.

In the bottom corner he absently noted the access count: 156. He glanced at it again.

156?

One hundred and fifty six profile views? It wasn't uncommon for students at the academy to do reports or research on the Gotei-13 Captains and Vice-Captains but those page views usually topped out at maybe twenty per day. The page counts were reset every Monday and Thursday. That meant the count had been reset two day ago which put her well above the expected numbers. Who was looking her up?

Typing quickly, he attempted to open the access log. A list of numbers popped up. Computer terminals in Soul Society had unique access codes. It wasn't possible to access any information in the Division Twelve Database without a personal access code; the academy students had a school code that was heavily restricted.

Movement behind Akon drew his attention away from the list and he found his Captain had wandered in and was slouching over looking into the boiling beaker.

"Looks adequate," Captain Kurotsuchi murmured as he wandered around the table inspecting it.

Akon turned fully and waited the other man straightened.

"Make sure when you add the specimens this time they are fully healthy. Those last ones you used were sickly. It contaminates the work to use sick things."

"Yes, Captain."

Golden eyes flickered up to the screen behind Akon's head and for a long moment there was silence. "You may wish to reconsider your interest in that female. I have heard her file was pulled from the Hall of Records just yesterday."

Turning on his heel, the Captain left and moments later Akon heard him yelling at someone not too far down the nearby hall. His feeling of unease increased. Files were pulled from the Hall of Records prior to disciplinary action. Something was up.

Summoning a hell butterfly, he relayed a quick message and sent it off to find the only person who might have a chance of unraveling the mystery before it was too late.

Captain Kyouraku Shunsui.


	54. Fallen Angel

54 of 100: Fallen Angel

Unedited.

* * *

Nanao's head hurt. It throbbed at each temple right above her ears and thrummed across the top. It felt like a short circuit between her ears. She shifted and her body protested the movement. Her lips parted in a moan the never left her mouth.

Pain.

Why did it hurt?

If she was still, there was nothing. Movement, however… twitching tired eyes flickered open and the confusion tripled. It was like looking through wispy white gauze. Everything was white. Shifting one shoulder she pulled her arm free of what felt like a bed laden with heavy blankets. She tried to reach up, to clear the wispy gauze out of her way but her fingers felt nothing. There was nothing to grasp onto. Her tired arm fell back down to her side.

Had she been injured in battle? That seemed so unlikely and yet here she lay in bed, in pain, and with her eyesight altered. The last thing she remembered was breakfast. She had been sitting in the kitchen with Hinamori. The girl had made her tea and Nanao had been grateful for the cup to warm her hands. She had been suffering from a headache that night and hadn't been able to keep warm.

Hanatarou had been making breakfast, as he usually did, as he hummed to himself. She couldn't remember him serving breakfast though. Had they been interrupted before they ate? Hinamori had requested that they not use the kidou chains that day, which Nanao had not agreed to and… and what?

"You're thinking too hard."

The voice surprised her.

Not only because it was achingly familiar but because she'd thought she was alone. Immediately, she tried to move, to coax her body from the warm nest she'd been laid in but large hands came down over her shoulder caps and pressed her aching form back down.

"No, no. You need to stay in bed. It's barely been an hour since I've tucked you in," he chided. He was so close. Nanao didn't struggle as he pulled her blankets back up to her chin and she breathed in the scent of them.

It was unfamiliar. They didn't smell like _him_. Where was she?

"Captain," she breathed her voice raspy. "Where am I?"

His chuckle didn't amuse her. "Astute of you, Nanao-chan. We've taken a little vacation."

"I can't," she started. "Where are Hinamori and Hanatarou?"

"They have been returned to Soul Society. Your mission has ended."

"I haven't debriefed. I need to report." Her protest was a pathetic mewl through tired lips, a desperate cling to duty she didn't have the energy for.

"Little Momo-chan can handle that. You're not reporting to anyone."

Nanao's tired eyes had drifted closed. It was easier than staring up at blank, silky white and they hurt less when she wasn't focusing on anything. "What's wrong with my eyes?"

His breath fanned across her forehead before she felt the chaste press of his lips. They were dry. "Nothing," he kissed her temple. His weight shifted, cloth rustled, she felt him curling down beside her. "There's nothing wrong. Trust me and rest now, Nanao."

"But … Captain," she whispered, as his arms closed around her. The weight of her unknown ordeal weighed heavy on her. Fatigue fell like a curtain closing. It was pulling her under.

"Just rest," he murmured against the shell of her ear.

* * *

There was a crispness to some dawns: the chill in the air, the freshness of new that wafted on the breeze, the dew that glazed the grass. When Nanao woke the second time, aware that it was the second time, she felt this newness as it crept across her face. It felt as though there were a window open nearby. When the haziness of waking faded, she flicked her eyes open rapidly, her heart pounding as she recalled details of her last memory.

She'd been awake in a strange place with pain and damaged eyes and her Captain had been there. Her heart thudded.

With an urgency bordering on frantic she _looked_ and saw shapes.

It wasn't dawn at all. She was in a room bathed in the blue black of night. Sometime during her slumber she had turned onto her side and she faced an uncurtained window. It was pulled open and a full, low moon hung in the night sky. Dark clouds hung suspended over its corners, eclipsing the silver light shining down into the room.

Which brought her to mind again… where was this room? Pushing an arm beneath her, she hoisted herself up and was relieved when there was no pain accompanying the movement. Instead, there was a groan behind her and an arm snaked around her middle and she was abruptly pulled back into the bedding. This time, she felt the body curled up against her back, warm and hard and solid.

And she knew who it was.

"Captain," she spoke sternly.

"Shhh." The arm around her waist pulled her nearer, tight against his body. The heat of his chest warmed her back, the hard muscle of him reassuring. "This is an old house, Nanao-chan, they'll hear you." His voice was a quiet hum against her ear, his breath a hot rush against her cheek, his arm was heavy over her side, his hand hot against her belly.

It was so inappropriate. It was sinfully perfect.

Immediately her need to squirm vanished as her mind stopped processing sensation and picked up logic. They who? Where was she? "Where am I?"

"We're taking a vacation, remember? Just me and my Nanao-chan."

She started to reply that they _couldn't_ take a vacation. That the two of them were the senior most executive officers of Division Eight and that they both couldn't be away at the same time when it hit her, again, she was no longer a part of Division Eight. She was no longer even an _officer._

Ripped from her excuse, she grasped at straws. "I wasn't cleared for a vacation."

His laughter soothed her. It eased the awful homesickness that had started to curl in her belly while playing house with Hinamori and Hanataorou. As if he would even need to file paperwork to get her away from Captain Ukitake.

* * *

AN: There are things that need to be explained. I will explain them. I think.


	55. Homecoming

55 of 100: Homecoming

* * *

Shunsui eyed the house as he approached, shifting the dead weight of the woman in his arms. It remained the same as it had for his childhood, the pine trees, the fencing, the so-called demon pillars that guarded the front gate. He spared a glance down at his parcel. She remained obliviously unconscious, the same state she'd been in when he'd come for her.

It had taken remarkably little time to reach his childhood home on foot from the heart of Soul Society. Barely half a day's walk, less with shunpo. Once he'd received the alert from his contact inside Division Twelve that a flagged medic report about Nanao had been issued he'd immediately gone to fetch her. A flagged report was always a bad signal.

He had been monitoring her behavior from Soul Society unauthorized. That was, perhaps, his first crime. Secondly, he'd left Soul Society and gone to the real world without permission. Lastly, he'd abducted an officer from an official mission jeopardizing her ability to carry out her task. ignoring the fact that she was no longer a ranked officer, he'd still abducted an active soldier. Not only that, he'd taken one directly from the medic's hands. Not that he cared about her mission. It was solely because of _them_ that she was in this condition to begin with.

Finding Nanao pale and drawn, her body bathed in the pale golden light of a healers touch had been the reality of his every nightmare. Every ugly scenario he encountered in his dreams ended with Nanao injured. She was medically stable for the moment, but how long she could stay that way was questionable. She needed medical attention quickly, which was no doubt their plan all along.

After determining she wasn't going to die on the trip back, he'd scooped her up despite the protests of the medic and whisked her away. She was medically stable for the moment, but how long she could stay that way was questionable. He had lived centuries but he didn't specialize in medical training and the raised welts he could see sliding up her forearms were nothing like he'd ever seen before. The medic at her side had not known either.

No doubt that was their plan. Nanao would need _specialized_ care to recover. Shunsui wasn't sure what was going on, but he didn't like it.

The Kidou Corps was part of the shady underbelly of Division Two. It had been for as long as it existed. The group with its shadowy members didn't answer the same laws as the rest of the Gotei-13, nor were they held to the same authorities. He knew better than most to never trust the Kidou Corps. He didn't care what the upper levels of that organization had planned for Nanao - she wasn't going anywhere and if he had to kidnap her and hide her, that's what he would do.

Now, walking up the front path of the Kyouraku Family house, he wondered at his reception. He had not been home in a decade or two. The last he'd heard his father had died and his older brother Kiyoshi had taken over as Head of the Family. It wasn't a shock. All the plans had been laid in writing for centuries; no doubt the transition had been a smooth one. His mother, aged, probably still lived under the thumb of his brother. She was a strict woman, his mother, and had been very vocal in her assent that his father send him away to the academy in his teens all those years ago.

He had barely set one foot upon the front step when the door clattered open and a young woman with a slip of paper in her fingers stepped out. It looked like a shopping list from his vantage point.

"Aki-chan!"

How long had it been since he'd laid eyes on her? She still worked for them? The girl with the dark bobbed hair snapped her head up in surprise, her feet coming to such an abrupt stop she almost toppled. "Shunsui-sama*?!"

The girl's eyes rounded revealing bright chestnut irises. Little Aki looked remarkably unchanged except for her height. "Ah, you remember me?" he grinned salaciously.

A flush tinted her cheeks and her bright smile faded as she noticed the woman in his arms. "Eh... Shunsui-sama*?" her voice faded to an uncertain murmur. "Is she-?"

His grin disappeared. "Gravely injured. Hurry and have a room prepared. I need to set her down."

"Right away!"

Aki spun on her heel, discarding her sandals so quickly, and so improperly, that they were turned in the wrong direction and one upside down totally. Shunsui watched her vanish into the house, at least the servants remembered him. He could only hope his meeting with his brother would go so well.

Kiyoshi had never liked Shunsui's habit of dragging trouble home.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * **

"Shunsui."

The younger man looked up from his spot on the reception room floor toward his elder brother. Nanao was cradled in his arms, her head resting on one shoulder, her knees curled over his opposite thigh. Shunsui had opted to hold onto her until he saw Kiyoshi. Briefly he wondered, had he ever held her in this manner before? Nanao's room would not be ready just yet anyway and he would not relinquish her to the care of the servants until she was awake.

"You've come home bearing a woman again."

Certainly it wasn't the first time he'd done so. It was the first time the woman was unconscious but he didn't suppose that detail mattered to his brother.

"This woman is my Vice-Captain."

Shunsui let the technical details like, "former" and "not current" slip away. Nanao would always be his, no matter what title that gave or took away from her.

"Ah," Kiyoshi answered, dropping his gaze to his brother's lap to regard the woman. "Not a vacation I assume. She doesn't look like she's ready to embark upon an affair with you."

Kiyoshi's disapproval of his lifestyle wasn't new. He had been raised under the strict eye of their mother and probably still did.

"Nanao-chan is injured and needs to quiet place to sleep for a while."

"Is this Vice-Captain of yours going to die in my house?" his tone was standoffish.

Shunsui frowned. "She isn't going to die _anywhere._"

* * *

AN: Is Shunsui-sama the appropriate address for a second son?

CANON FACT: the Kyouraku family is a noble house. It may not be one of the 4 great noble houses, but it is a noble house. And so is Ukitake, though he's listed as a lower noble house.


	56. Live

56 of 100: Live

* * *

Medical sedation was hell.

In Nanao's experience, and certainly her most recent one, it left a person fog-headed and restless. She felt like she could curl into her futon and sleep for a week. Which begged the question: when had she been sedated and for what purpose? She and Hinamori and Hanatarou had been having breakfast... and then what?

Despite feeling as though her head were four foot wide, it no longer hurt and her vision had cleared to its normal clarity. In the interim, daylight had broken and she could move with greater ease. At least she thought she could. Lifting one arm to push herself out of bed sent a ripple of pain across her chest stretching from wrist to wrist. Laying herself flat she reached across to slide up her sleeve.

It had gotten worse.

Exponentially.

The discomfort she'd been experiencing on her mission hadn't been alarming. It had vaguely resembled a chest cold, a deep feeling of congestion and then later pain when breathing at certain periods. But those periods had been brief and had always subsided. She had assumed it to be normal tear on her body from using such high level kidou spells repeatedly.

Kidou chains were, by definition, restricted and therefore in a class 99 category. There was bound to be some rebound effect for using them in such quick succession in a limited timeframe. Now, however, she wasn't so sure. Perhaps her enthusiasm for the project had caused her some unintended effect. She regretted not taking Hinamori's pleas for moderation more seriously.

Turning over, she pushed her weight onto both elbows and knees instead of one arm and pushed herself up. It was awkward and it hurt but at least she was on her feet. Though, once there, she wasn't certain why she'd wanted to be out of bed. The floor was cold, her feet were bare and she hadn't the faintest idea whose house she was in. Was it appropriate to leave a guest room? She had not encountered the situation with frequency.

In fact, she'd never encountered the situation before.

With her imaginatively swollen head she wandered toward the door and leaned her shoulder against the wall. The world was wobbly. Again, she slid her sleeve up and looked at her skin. The sleeves weren't long enough to hide the ugly red welts. They were raised and gnarled and circular and… they continued up her arm as far as she could see.

Alarm rang in her ears.

Nimble fingers plucked at the ties of her hakama and in moment she was yanking open her top.

Gnarled, angry red flesh met her eyes over the caps of her shoulders. She tore at the cotton bindings over her breasts and stared in horror. It wasn't circular scarring.

It was a chain stretching from wrist to wrist.

* * *

AN: It's short. I've run into the complication of writing things out of order. My plan: post up to at least 58 today.


	57. Siblings

57 of 100: Siblings

* * *

It was a man.

Her decision to leave her room without waiting for an escort had been made after an hour of weighting the pros and cons. When she finally yanked it open there he was.

Not guarding her.

Not waiting for her.

Coincidence?

A big man, with wide shoulders and deep set eyes and a square jaw. It was a person she'd never seen before. Was it this man's house? He didn't appear surprised to see her. Where was she?

"I see you're awake. Is Shunsui with you?" His voice was deep. It matched his face.

"No," she answered softly.

He made a rude noise and turned on his heel. "Come on with me then. If he's not going to show up for dinner then the hell with him. He knows what time we serve food here, I'm not his messenger."

Who was this man? Was she supposed to accompany him to dinner? Not knowing what else to do, she followed him as she thought. As they walked, her eyes wandered. It wasn't cluttered but the few items on display were elegant. The bonsai statuette she passed with the plum blossoms must've been made of some semiprecious jewel because the whole thing glittered.

In too few moments she was seated at a dining table with too little space between her and the stranger. She watched him unfold his napkin, barely doing the same or herself before the serving staff arrived with covered bowls. When the lid was raised she was met with clear, steaming broth and floating mushrooms and it smelled like heaven. She felt her stomach tighten with hunger and hoped it wouldn't growl aloud.

"I apologize, this is hardly the way to do thing. Shunsui's habit of being unconventional isn't my favorite trait of his and is hardly shared by the rest of the family."

Dread bloomed deep in the center of Nanao. Oh, he didn't mean that, did he? Family?

"My name is Kyouraku Kiyoshi. I'm the current head of the Kyouraku Family and Shunsui's older brother."

Nanao faltered. Should she inquire after her wayward Captain first or introduce herself. "My name is Ise Nanao. I apologize for appearing so unexpectedly. It was not my intention-"

He waved a hand dismissively. "You were quite unconscious upon your arrival. Shunsui, wherever he is lounging at the moment, was quite worried about your state. I haven't been able to discuss the matter with him in any detail since the two of you arrived however."

"Is it very late?"

It was daylight the last she saw of a window.

"About five in the evening. Please, whatever the circumstances, you are a welcome guest Ise-san, please enjoy your dinner."

Despite his welcome, she felt awkward and it was more then the fact that she didn't know this man. It was very obvious her wrists were bandaged all the way up her arms. In fact, Nanao had bandaged her whole chest. The hem of her shikagi was ruined; it was a good thing the under garment was long rather than short. The lack of contact from her clothing made the burn marginally better. He might know she was injured but what if he thought she was some suicidal lunatic?

Then she contemplated what was worse: him seeing her bandages or her stomach growling when there was food in front of her and she wasn't eating it. Could there be a bigger insult to a host?

Nanao reached for her soup spoon.

* * *

Nanao sipped cautiously. Her dinner partner had been alarmingly quiet. She wasn't sure which was worse, the silence or the conversation. They had been able to have anything resembling normalcy since they'd met one another less than an hour ago. When the doorway to dining room slid open Nanao's eyes lifted to a familiar figure in unfamiliar clothing. Had she ever seen her Captain in a kimono? The powder gray fabric looked like a snow in dim lighting and the haori he was wearing over it was winter-themed in blues. Indecision twisted in her belly, again, what was worse? The look on his face or his silence?


	58. Oath

58 of 100: Oath

* * *

"Nanao-chan's awake."

The familiar nickname she hated didn't bring her any warmth. His voice was flat and there was no gleam in his eye. Nanao sighed and turned her gaze toward her lap. His presence made her feel chastised and she wasn't sure why. The relief she thought she'd feel if he showed up during dinner was transient.

"You're late for dinner. Did you get lost?" Kiyoshi's sarcasm was sharp in the quiet of the room.

"I was looking for something," Shunsui answered distractedly as he sauntered across the room to take a place across from Nanao.

"I've apologized to Kyouraku-sama and have informed him I plan to leave as soon as possible," Nanao murmured.

"A wasted effort."

"Excuse me?" the reply made her look up at the man across from her.

He ignored the query. "How are you feeling? Should you be out of bed yet?"

"I'm fine-"she started.

"You're not," he interrupted firmly, a frown gracing his lips. Examining him she noted he looked tired.

Tired and sober.

She opened her mouth to argue. He must've sensed it and interrupted again. "Why are you here?"

"I don't know."

"Don't you?" he challenged, dropping his eyes.

She felt his eyes slid down her neck to her chest and paled. No! He couldn't know! Hanatarou and Hinamori? Did they know too? What had happened to her?!

"It's been a long time since I warned you about the Kidou Corps, do you remember that?"

An empty hall, a quick quiet conversation… how could she forget it? Before she was Vice-Captain of Eight. It had been one of her first close encounters with the Captain. Back when she'd started avoiding him because she'd started noticing he was, well, a man.

"They're not like us, Nanao. The rules are different for them. I had forgotten about their interest in you, discounted it, but it's barely been a hundred years. Even without being an active-duty soldier you're one of the highest level casters in Soul Society and you proved it to them every day for the last week."

Nanao paled.

"And for your effort, they branded you. Inescapable bodily proof that you've been using restricted level 99 kidou spells."

A chill swept down her spine. Oh.

No.

No.

No.

No more, _please_, she thought desperately. Her hands were cold. Every part of her was cold. Her uniform was insufficient.

"This morning a warrant was issued. You're officially a fugitive."

Nanao's mind struggled to keep up. "But! Captain Yamamaoto was there!" she protested. "Hinamori and Hanatarou were also!"

"Using restricted kidou is an offense punished directly by Central Forty-Six and the Old Man has nothing but his word to offer in defense, if at all. They never provided documentation on what you would be participating in. Hinamori is currently in detention and your medical officer had no idea what the two of you were doing."

Using restricted kidou was an offense punished by Central Forty-Six because it was considered _treason._

_Treason_ was punished by death. The chill intensified.

His mood made sense then, didn't it, she thought grimly. "So I'm going to die," she answered. "Is the Sōkyoku repaired yet?"

"They don't intend to kill you, Nanao. They're trying to expel you from the Gotei-13 so they can permanently recruit you. It would be a reasonable suggestion to the Central Forty-Six to take custody of you since you've proven so capable and their recruitment numbers are low this year."

"What about Hinamori?"

Shunsui brought a hand up and scratched his chin. "She's not as affected as you, I'm not sure they can prove it with her."

There would not be any problem with evidence on her, would there, Nanao thought bitterly. "If that is the case, and I am guilty, I should return quietly."

"Do you want to leave me?"

How was that related? How did she have any choice? "No."

"Then, who says the Kidou Corps are the only people who can play with evidence?"


	59. Quiz

59 of 100: Quiz

SIDESTORY

* * *

The first story on top in her inbox was colored and glossy. She immediately thought "magazine". Someone had put _junk_ in her inbox. That was uncalled for and if she found out the person responsible… her eyebrow ticked.

Nanao reached for the sheet and found it was singular and it was, in fact, glossy. As she brought the papers closer, she spread her fingers and found she was mistaken; it was two sheets, not one. Curly writing at the top of the page made her cringe.

_"Is it true love? Take our quiz and find out if your crush is just a fizzle or if it's the real thing." _

Scowling, she immediately crumpled up the paper and tossed it into her nearby waste basket. There was no need to even debate the sender of that junk; it had to be her ridiculous Captain. Putting it from her mind, she leaned back to slide out her pen drawer and found a slip of paper on top.

It was a photocopy of the magazine. _"Your partner is returning from a week long business trip, you –"_with a growl, Nanao crumpled it up and tossed it into the garbage with the original.

Idiot.

Digging into her mailbox she plunked a stack of papers on her desk and began to page through them absently, mostly standard file forms that had passed the secretary desk's initial approval.

At least until she found another glossy page. _"Lust or Love?"_ stared up at her from the page. She threw it to the side and it landed with something like a splat on the floor beside her. Paging through she looked for more and found none.

"Nanao-chan!"

Lifting her eyes she found the pink kimono was splayed off his shoulders and almost falling off. In his upraised hand was a crumpled set of magazine pages. He took a moment to cradle the pages to his chest.

"It's _true_ love!" he cooed. "Did you do yours? Do they match?"

"Captain," she breathed tersely. "Get out."


	60. Playing House

60 of 100: Playing House

* * *

Dusk brought Nanao to the back veranda. She had been seated out on the old wooden deck watching the sunlight filter through the pine trees when she realized she had company. She had spent the night thinking about the previous evening's dinner and the dismal news her Captain had brought her.

She'd been forbidden from leaving. If she had any sense, she'd keep herself inside too, away from windows, though she wasn't sure if the situation warranted that kind of paranoia. Certainly, she ought not be sitting on the veranda outside.

The scent of the wood drifted on a light breeze. Movement caught her eye; her visitor had been remarkably silent in approaching. One glance up revealed large male feet in white tabi and the hem of a dark kimono that proved that her visited was _not_ her Captain. Captain Kyouraku had a tendency to walk around in slippers barefooted. Nanao made to stand, trying to lumber up off her knees, taking her arms away from the protective fold she'd placed them in over her chest. her body ached.

He interrupted before she could do little more than unfold her legs. "Please stay seated, Ise-san. You are a special guest; you needn't be so formal with me. I hope I am not intruding upon your quiet time. I know my brother can be trying company when he manages to make an appearance."

Nanao gazed up at the stately Kyouraku Kiyoshi, her Captain's elder brother, and wasn't sure how to react. The man resembled her Captain in the slight way siblings often do. He had wide shoulders and a narrower frame but he had the same deep set brown eyes and squared jaw. His face was clean shaven and his auburn hair was cut formally short.

"Er… of course you are welcome, I was just enjoying the morning. The air is so nice here," she answered softly looking back toward the trees. She wasn't sure what else to say. Here she was a stranger, trapped. Her Captain's brother was stuck with them, she supposed harboring a fugitive. Could he get into trouble for that?

"Are you connected to the Ise from the Hokutan?" he asked conversationally, leaning his back to one of the posts supporting the porch.

Nanao knew her father had made their surname Ise popular in the Hokutan District, but to be well known to such an extent that the head of a noble family knew it was not her perception of positive. She hadn't quite understood until a morning conversation with a maid had made the situation clearer.

The Kyouraku were a _noble_ family. It was so utterly fitting in her piecework life. Of course her Captain, lazy and womanizing, would be of noble descent. It had curled her insides when she'd discovered it. "Yes," she answered. "My father owned a number of businesses."

Was this the part where he told her, subtly, how unsuitable she was for his brother? Absently, she wondered if her father would be proud of her for working for a noble or trying to shove her under her Captain's nose even more than she already was.

"I see. You know, I've thought quite recently, within the last one hundred years or so that they've really managed to clean the place up. Many good places have opened, I was quite impressed. I've started looking at our various merchants in greater detail lately, I was pleased."

_"Are you boring her with talk of business_?"

The comment marked the appearance of her Captain, she heard his footsteps stop somewhere behind her. Nanao didn't bother to raise her gaze. Instead, she wrapped her arms back across her sore chest and looked toward her feet. She couldn't remember ever being so uncomfortable. Or at least not in years.

"Shunsui, why are you still wearing women's clothing?"

Nanao heard cloth shuffle and then felt heavy, lined silk settle over her shoulders. A half turn of her head revealed a shoulder of pink and one whiff gave her a nose full of incense and she knew what he'd just draped around her.

"Pink is manly," he answered.

There was no time for comment as, behind them, a dainty knock upon a doorframe revealed a maid. "Excuse me, Sirs, a guest has arrived."

"Retsu-san!" Captain Kyouraku's voice boomed through the garden. "Nanao-chan has been waiting for you."

Nanao wasn't even sure how to react anymore to anything. She didn't even turn. Should she? It was her guest, after all, though she was expected to be respectful. Indecision made her lazy.

"I hope it's not an emergency. Ise-san?"

There couldn't be a better cue than that and Nanao and turned, twisting slowly. "Good evening, Captain Unohana. I apologize for bringing you all the way here but Captain Kyouraku has forbidden me from traveling."

Walking her to her chambers the previous evening, he had mentioned in passing that Captain Unohana would be visiting this morning.

The two women shared a moment of uneasy silence as the men watched and then Captain Unohana smiled. "I am glad to be of help. Perhaps there is somewhere Ise-san and I could speak?"

Captain Kyouraku was quick to intercede. "Of course! I will show you her room, Nanao-chan, take a minute longer to rest. I'll be back for you in a minute." He gave her a wave and a smile and something twisted in her belly as he left with the other woman. She refused to speculate about why she was being left behind. There were too many dark possibilities in her brain; she wouldn't think about it.

Turning her head she kept her arms crossed and looked moodily out into the trees.

"Ise-san, how long have you been with my brother?"

_Been with_?

There was no way he was asking what that sounded like. It was also grossly inappropriate if he meant it the way she was thinking of it. "I have served Captain Kyouraku for just over a century," she confessed.

The towering, commanding presence of the elder Kyouraku made her feel cowed. She kept her eyes respectfully lowered. This man was a noble. She was a rukongai street rat. He was lucky then, wasn't he, her Captain? He had a family when she had none.

"Ah, you are a baby," he answered softly. "It surprised me, I must say, when he showed up with you in his arms and identified you as his Vice-Captain. Shunsui doesn't like it when women fight so it seemed so unlike him to come home cradling this tiny thing in his arms."

Nanao's mind whirled. "I'm sorry you were misinformed, Kyouraku-sama. I am no longer his Vice-Captain I lost that position quite recently. I am no longer even under the command of Captain Kyouraku."

"No?"

The surprise in his voice made her head snap up and their eyes met squarely. "And will your assigned Captain be so lenient of your absence? You have not hesitated a moment in obeying Shunsui."

Nanao looked away again. Every part of her rebelled against the notion that she _shouldn't_ follow him. When he spoke to her, Nanao followed. Captain Kyouraku took her best interests to heart better than she took her own.

"I shouldn't be here," she answered slowly. "Without my active Captain's permission… but Captain Ukitake-"

"Ah, say no more. Of course, when you lost your position as Vice-Captain, did he transfer you to Jyuushiro's service? How like him. Forgive my forwardness, Ise-san, but when you return, is it to Shunsui you're going back to?"

The man's voice was like a melody, she thought. A deep, sensual melody.

"Yes."

* * * *

"Is something on your mind, Kyouraku-san?"

He had chatted idly on the way toward Nanao's room. Thanking her, mostly, for making the trip that was out of her way. There was no one else he could call and even calling her had been a risk.

"Has Nanao's name been mentioned at all?"

The lady doctor set aside her bag on the floor just inside the room. "If you are asking me if I have heard rumors, the answer is no," she paused. "However, I have heard from Ukitake-san that Ise-san is in quite a bit of trouble."

Shunsui's jaw tightened. "I warned her, but even I was not expecting this."

"This must have to do with her most recent absence then."

"They are trying to steal her," he answered stonily. "But I am not letting her go."

A disquiet fell over the room.

"Retsu-san, we have known each other many years and I have not asked you many favors."

"No," she agreed.

"I will ask one now," he paused. "Please help her in any way you can. When you go back, do not speak of her. She is on unofficial leave and I suspect very soon they will begin a search if they have not already done so."

The woman sighed softly. "I will not assist in a search for Ise-san, but I cannot agree to hinder any effort that may be made."

The likelihood of anyone requesting her assistance in a search was nil.

Shunsui turned to the door and slid it open. "Whatever you do to Nanao, please protect the shrine on her back," he murmured, his eyes meeting hers. "It is something she has not been able to show me properly yet."


	61. Training

61 of 100: Training

SIDESTORY

* * *

It was cresting eight in the evening. The Eighth Division headquarters building was empty, save for her. She'd stayed late with the notion that tonight, finally, she needed to get some much needed practice in.

With the disarray of the office, she rarely had time to go out and practice with the other officers. Her combat times were limited to her upper class kidou sessions which rarely afforded her much opportunity for actual engagement. Only once a month was she able to schedule combat activities that included herself. She wasn't entirely sure how often her Captain went to the training grounds because he often did so without her. She had never been a sparring partner of his. Realistically, she realized she was not up to par with his skills but sometimes it felt like exclusion. The Captain didn't like to fight women.

With a sigh, she pulled open the door to Combat Hall number one, intending to at least break a sweat. It was the closest and she didn't need any of the fancy equipment of the other rooms. She just needed a bit of open space and maybe one of the targets if she was feeling energetic.

Just inside, a noise caught her unawares and her spine tensed. She'd _thought_ she was alone. Looking up she found her Captain, his pink kimono, his Captain's coat, his black uniform top all missing… he stood there, his back to her, all golden skin, his swords in hand…

Her breath caught somewhere in her chest. When was the last time she'd seen him work with his swords? It felt like years since she'd last been in the training hall with him. All those years ago when she'd been too young to realize how handsome he was and how glorious he was to look at bare-chested. She'd been a little girl gazing up at the man who was the central authority figure of her life.

He swung his swords in graceful arcs. "Come to play with me, Nanao-chan?" he called without glancing back. He always knew her presence.

"I apologize for interrupting. I didn't know you were still here."

He stopped his movements and turned, lowering his blades. The movement was slow and decidedly predatory. Muscles slid and bunched beneath slick skin. Captain Kyouraku was two things: muscular and hairy. "Want to practice with me? Last I remember your sword technique was still weak."

She frowned at the assessment averting her eyes from his chest. Her first instinct was to leave him alone to practice. While they had never sparred together, he had overseen her training since the moment she had stepped out of the Academy and into his Division. He had always found her sword technique lacking. It was, he said, a lack of ambition to wield the blade.

Despite herself, she found her hand reaching for her face, tucking her glasses up on the bridge of her nose. It was a nervous gesture, one she tried to repress. "I may have improved since then," she answered. "But I will not claim it is one of my finer skills."

"Have you?" He turned to face her fully and she frowned deeper. How would she be able to practice with him and actually concentrate on the battle? Couldn't he get dressed? Words about propriety floated around her head though she didn't say them. After all, he hadn't been waiting for her, she was interrupting _his_ alone time. "Show me."

"Actually, Sir-"

"Your blade, Nanao-chan," he reminded her. "I've wanted to do this for a while."

Reaching into her sleeve, she slid out the sleek weapon and his mouth curved in response. "Nanao-chan the ninja girl," he sang.

Quietly, she unsheathed the blade, tucking the case into her waistband. Having a short blade, Nanao supplemented her battle style heavily with kidou, often depending on it solely. It had become her trademark. The silver metal blade gleamed beneath the light. His dual swords were slim and sleek and leashed. The likelihood of him unlocking the blades to battle her was slim. She hoped. She had no desire to touch her swords to the full power of those huge, curved monsters.

Raising her sword defensively, she waited. He watched her and waved her on.

"Come."

Repressing a frown, she thought. Nanao preferred defense. Silently, she wove a kidou spell around her left fist and charged forward. Swiftly, he blocked the blade and she turned, wrapping her hand around the opposite blade, surprising him. Blue lightning licked down the blade racing toward his hand. Leaning, he pressed his superior weight on the sword clashing his forcing her knees to buckle. Straining, she pulled back, sidestepping awkwardly and barely escaping as he brought the opposite blade down.

Twisting, she aimed for the right; he blocked low and she flipped backward, extending her free hand. A blast of snowflake like kidou shards flew from her palm. He disappeared. Startled, she turned on her heel expecting him behind her only to find no one. Gathering kidou in her free hand she dropped one knee slamming her palm to the floor. Fog rose from the floorboards curling up around her ankles shading the room.

"I thought we were having a sword fight."

His voice felt like it was everywhere. An effect of the fog unfortunately, it worked in both directions scattering sound and movement.

"I am at a severe disadvantage in a sword battle with you," she answered.

Raising two straight fingers toward her nose she concentrated. Where was he? A twinge of reiatsu marked him behind her. She twisted too late to stop him, his arms curled down around her trapping her inside the cove of his blades. Her arms were trapped at her sides, her chest to his, her blade flat between their bodies. Behind her she felt his arm move, as he slide one blade beneath the sash of her uniform down across her back like an iron bar. Using it, he pulled her forward tight against his body.

"Is your sword offended that you do not wield it effectively?"

Nanao held it loosely, sweat dampening her palm. His chest was hard; she could feel every breath. She was quite suddenly very pleased she was so attentive to _her_ proper uniform. If she danced around like Matsumoto with unbound breasts… against his chest… Nanao dry swallowed and forced herself to focus. "We are survivalists, her and I. We will battle to survive and we will fight _for_ you but we do not like to fight _with_ you."

Her mouth was dry.

"The winner reserves the right to claim a reward," he murmured, leaning over her. She heard, more than saw him drop the sword that wasn't pressed into her back on the floor.

"Are you certain you should be claiming a reward from an enemy that is still armed?" she murmured.

His free hand closed around her wrist and slid down toward the hilt of her sword before he pulled it away. Gently, he pulled it from between them and she felt it drop as it left her fingers. The last sword, the one at her back was pulled away and she felt it fall on the other side.

"Nanao-chan is always armed."

Taking a breath she made to step back when those hands met her hips pulling her close again. Nearby, she heard the door clatter open.

"No, dude - … Fog? Hello… someone in here?"

"Wait, wait…"

Nanao glanced toward the doorway and saw nothing through the swirl of white. There were at least two people there. Raising her hand, the fog glittered and thickened, dancing around the room in dense opaque swirls.

"Shit," the shinigami at the doorway whispered. "The only person I know can do that is the Vice-Captain." Louder, the boy called. "Sorry, Vice-Captain. I'll pick another room!"

The door clattered shut.

The hands on her hips were hot. She took a shuddered breath as he spread his fingers over her hips and moved them up her back, curling around the nape of her neck. Staring at his chest she tried to stop her heart from hammering fruitlessly.

The fog glittered.

Scooping his fingers around her neck he curved his thumbs beneath her chin tilting her head back.

The door clattered open loudly. "Vice-Captain, ma'am! We have a problem, you're still here right? Vice-Captain?!"

Where had she ever gotten the ridiculous notion that she was alone?

Nanao turned her head, sliding in his hands, grateful for the distraction. "What kind of problem?"

The Captain shifted his weight leaning over her and she felt his breath ghosting down her cheek. Brushing his nose against her neck, Nanao gasped softly and hoped the officer at the door hadn't heard.

"There's been some delivery mix-up. A late courier just delivered sixteen boxes of bokken to our front door."

Sixteen boxes? Who would place an order- he kissed her neck. Smooth silky lips against her made her shudder. Her pulse thumped hard as heat curled in her belly flushing up her face. He must've felt it against his mouth. In response, he licked her and followed it with a series of kisses; sliding his hands down he gently pulled her uniform stretching it off her shoulder.

Bringing her hand up she pressed it to his cheek pushing him away. The whiskers on his cheek were rough on her palm and she savored her brief touch with it.

"Sixteen boxes?" she repeated, already leaning down to pick up her sword.

It was out of sight by the time she reached the door.


	62. Berry

62 of 100: Berry

* * *

The room was quiet and dim. To busy her nervous hands, Nanao lit the candles. Her host had been generous and given her scented lighting. The room would slowly warm and smell of pine. It was a bit strong and a bit on the medical side, but it was pleasant and soothing to her nerves which were suffering under the strain.

Manners dictated that she offer some kind of refreshment for her guest, but Nanao was also a guest and insecurity nipped at her. What was appropriate?

"I apologize. You have had to travel a long distance," Nanao began.

Truthfully, she wasn't just how far the distance was really. Nanao had never been to the Kyouraku family home, never heard of it for that matter.

They took a seat across from one another at the small table in her room. The wax was beginning to melt on the candles releasing the scent of pine into the air. A quick knock at the door welcomed a maid with a bent head and a tea set.

"The master sent it for you," she murmured daintily before scurrying away.

Nanao wondered if that girl could be her in another life and what it would be like. Maybe it was peaceful, if she lived in a faraway place serving a quiet family. The few long moments spent on serving tea and imagining her life as a servant did little for her nerves.

"Captain Kyouraku seems quite concerned," Captain Unohana offered.

Nanao stared into her cup. "I have managed to get myself involved in an unfortunate problem."

"Are you willing to talk about that?" she asked gently.

Nanao sighed. It was a rush of breath that did little to ease her tension. "I do not believe there is anything else to do. My medical abilities are limited."

The younger woman missed the soft smile the medical Captain aimed at her. "Is that where you would like to begin?"

"Perhaps an explanation would be best first."

* * *

Shunsui laid back on the veranda with a sigh stretching his arms back and tucking his hands under his head. His brother stood beside, leaning back against the wall of the building.

"She's young, isn't she?" he finally asked.

Shunsui cracked an eye open and then both as she contemplated, staring up at the ceiling of the porch. "Nanao-chan?" he murmured lazily.

"I believe that's her name, yes."

A lazy grin spread over Shunsui's mouth. "You'd like her, my Nanao." He closed his eyes. "She's a lot like you."

"Is that not her currently residing in my house?"

"Hmmm," Shunsui agreed.

"And what do you plan to do about her?"

"If there's no marks on her body there's no proof she did anything illegal."

"All of this, I presume, is to keep her with you? Isn't she already working for Ukitake?" Kiyoshi sounded unimpressed.

"Temporarily. So long as the Kidou Corps doesn't steal her, she's coming back to me."

"Would she be better served working for the Kidou Corps?" Kiyoshi asked.

* * *

Knotted skin was tender and swollen beneath the fine touch of Captain Unohana. Delicately, she palpated the welted skin.

"Have you done much research on kidou chains?" the Captain asked softly.

"Briefly. I cannot give a complete history," Nanao answered.

"It was one of the most complex uses of kidou designed at its time and still is today. It was taught in the Academy to the most capable graduating students. The Kidou Corps had found that skilled users could multiply the chains into more dangerous forms. Every hundred years or so, the Kidou Corps has a classification review where they can make changes to the code and classification system – it was decided that kidou chains were too dangerous for ordinary use and the original spell was altered to is present form.

"The new kidou chain, the one you have used, was an innovative design. A change in the wording and the hand movements and the newly forbidden spell was dangerous not only to the person opposite it, but the user himself because it left physical indicators of guilt."

The Captain motioned discreetly to Nanao's injuries.

"I was not aware of that."

"That does not surprise me in the least. You are very young and kidou chains are something of ancient history. In fact, all references for them should've been scrubbed clean by the Kidou Corps long ago."

"Is this permanent then?" Nanao glanced down at her skin.

"No. It is a delayed effect, this kind of wound, it builds upon itself after every repeated use but it builds slowly which is why it seems to have intensified even after you have stopped using it. it is rarely fatal and treatment is simple, thought a bit unusual. Reiatsu based healing methods only cause more inflammation because it is a kidou-based injury, so it is best to use oral and topical medications. After a week or so of treatment you should feel remarkably better and I don't expect there to be much, if any scarring from this level of injury. The tissue depth is not that significant."

* * *

"Master, the doctor is finished."

Both men looked up to see Captain Unohana trailing behind the servant girl.

"I think it is going to be a nice night tonight, perhaps some light rain," she speculated.

Shunsui stared up at her from the floor. "Nanao-chan?"

"I have left her some instructions. She needs a week to a week and a half for significant clinical improvement and two weeks at a minimum to clear. They may or may not be aware of that as this kind of case is rare so be careful."

"And you?" he queried.

The Captain gave a ginger smile. "I'm sorry, Captain Kyouraku I cannot give you any information. I have not seen Ise Nanao."


	63. Cherry Blossom

63 of 100: Cherry Blossom

SIDESTORY

* * *

Nanao stared at the paper sullenly. She had come to the Division offices early to take her certification exam. Dawn was her alarm clock and she had been at the front door before the first secretaries had arrived to unlock it. Thinking back, she wondered why she'd allowed him to talk her into this. It would be beneficial for her, he'd insisted, to building her confidence. After all, she was already Division Eight's best kidou user – getting a teaching certification could hardly be a challenge for her. And if it was, all the better, he said. Everyone in life needed a challenge.

Nanao had no ambition for such things. As far as she saw it, becoming a certified kidou instructor would only eat into more of her personal time. The steady pace of the rank and file lifestyle was fine by her. It gave her ample time to read. The Soul Society library was her favorite go-to spot. All the rank and file had to do was survive. There was no paperwork, no supervising, certainly no _teaching_.

The proctor for the exam had stated that she would come to the Division offices as the Academy was hosting a festival event and it would be too noisy. Rescheduling the appointment for another day would've been fine by her but Nanao had the suspicion that the woman wanted, desperately, away from the school event. Nanao hardly blamed her; she had hated all such activities whilst she was a student at the school. Of course, she'd also been noticeably younger than her classmates. Most of them at least.

Presently, she was sitting in an unused room at the back of the Division where a line of windows faced the courtyard. The trees that her Captain was so fond of were in full pink bloom. It was a wonder he wasn't sleeping in or beneath them to fully enjoy the short season.

"Ise-san, is there a problem?"

The woman's voice startled her attention back toward her table. A quick glance up confirmed the proctor was frowning. Certainly she didn't expect Nanao to be daydreaming. This test was a voluntary effort and the Division was paying for it from their budget. It would be irresponsible of her to not take it all seriously.

"No. I apologize, my attention wandered briefly," Nanao answered.

Nanao wondered if she could ever be a teacher as she turned her eyes back to the paper. The exam for certification was a written exam. due to her status as Kidou Master, Nanao had been exempted from the practical exam that went along with the teaching certification she was trying to obtain. Outside a peal of thunder roared and Nanao felt the building shudder in response. The gray skies might chase her nature loving Captain indoors.

Returning her attention to the unanswered question she determined to put all thoughts not kidou related out of her head. After all, no one expected her to fail. She had an image to maintain.

* * *

The thunder rolled out along with the lightning but the rain had lingered on. In the back room, hidden amongst old storage, Nanao loitered beside an open window. The panels were slid open wide, rain dripped precariously near, every once in a while blowing a tiny gust of it her way when the wind kicked up. The sound was so soothing. It was the most she'd been relaxed in days. The week preceding the exam had been tense. She hadn't realized the extent of it until the test was over.

Her graded exam had been scored by the reluctant to leave examiner and Nanao had reviewed it. for the first time in ages she'd stared at a paper that wasn't perfect. The proctor had taken off points. Admittedly, her answer had been creative, to say the least. The lady had been frank.

_ "I appreciate your theory, Ise-san, but you are proposing a method of combining kidou spells that has no written clinical evidence to support its plausibility. I'll have to deduct for that."_

Nanao didn't possess the interest or inclination to argue. What did it matter to her what an examiner thought of her theory? That woman, with her neat hair and her straight suit, she reminded Nanao of herself. The examiner had been the woman Nanao always thought she would grow up to be. It was strange, the effect others could have upon ones life. If it were not for Captain Kyouraku – where would she be? Quite possibly working studiously in the Soul Society library. Buried up to her waist in books. She had no indication that she would dislike such a future. Merely that it would be different from her current one.

The proctor left, taking with her the proof of Nanao's success. She would receive a paper via courier later in the week. Academy mail, however, was notoriously slow. Nanao figured on closer to three weeks. It was unusual in of itself to have ones score before the mail arrived. It was her lucky day that the examiner had been so eager to stay in Division Eight as long as possible to avoid returning to the academy.

"Nanao-chan?"

The lazy voice of her Captain surprised her. Looking toward the door she found she couldn't see him with the stacks of furniture in the room. She had escaped to this back room to avoid him. She knew he was coming in in the afternoon. Her pride kept her from crawling beneath the table and hiding. It wouldn't work; he already knew she was there. She ignored the twist in her belly that begged her to slip out the window into the rain. Nanao didn't want _more_ alone time with him. He might not flirt with her but his whole solemn, sober attention was unbearably worse.

"Yes, Captain?"

"Ah, there's my little Nanao-chan." His voice lit up. Maybe he saw her as his little daughter-figure? She'd been part of his Division since she was a child, he'd read to her and with her. Her, the office child of Captain Kyouraku and Vice-Captain Yadomaru… if that wasn't the most absurd thing she'd ever thought. Briefly, she wondered what it would be like to be his actual daughter and then wondered why that idea felt a little sour.

Looking away from the puddles beneath the window she found he was closer than she anticipated. Apparently the furniture in the room was less of an obstacle for him as it had been for her and he towered over her tiny frame.

Reaching up, he hooked his fingers on the frame of the window and looked out. "Are you hiding?"

That was unexpectedly direct and even more so surprisingly dead-on.

"Is someone bullying my Nanao-chan?"

She gave him a withering stare. Bullying? "I just wanted a quiet moment, Sir. It has been a stressful week."

"Good, good, because I support a no bullying policy."

Nanao wasn't sure what to think of that except she hoped he leave soon. Come to think of it, she had a new book in her room waiting for her.

"Since my exams are finished; may I be excused for the day?"

He slanted a glance down at her and raised a hand to pat her head. "Got a new book?"

Nanao didn't blush, instead, she tipped her glasses a notch higher on her nose and tried not to take offense to the fact that he was patting her head like a pet. "Yes, Sir."

"The day is yours."

Outside, the wind blew and a gust of wet cherry blossoms went sailing.


	64. Legend

64 of 100: Legend

SIDESTORY

* * *

The girl giggled.

Maybe she wasn't quite a girl, Nanao ventured as she discreetly watched. Judging one's age in Soul Society was certainly a task. Either way, the girl or woman was most certainly older than Nanao herself.

Her hair was dark, probably artificially so given how _black_ it looked and the lady's eyes were a bright green color. The lady's hair, Nanao thought, looked like ink. She was very pretty.

In essence, she was the type of girl that drew her Captain's eye though Nanao could discern no physical pattern that indicated his preferences. He flirted rather ambiguously. Captain Kyouraku simply had a preference for the category: female.

Nearby, the secretaries wandered to and fro with paperwork. Nanao was glad she held no such status and wasn't bound to her desk by her Captain's laziness. She dropped her gaze to her book scanning over the words looking for the familiar. She'd sat down in the small lobby to have a bit of a read during lunch. If she could find where she'd left off, she'd continue reading. As it was, the girl giggled again and Nanao looked up.

Flirting.

She supposed that's what he was doing. The girl was flirting back, giggling, turning her head coyly, smiling so salaciously. The interaction was fascinating from a sociological point of view. As it was, Nanao wasn't much of a sociology fan and the display left her feeling a bit awkward.

Propriety dictated that he should take such behaviors elsewhere. If his aim was to seduce the girl at least. Even if he wasn't, she figured, he ought to have the decency to put a time limit on it. She had been here reading first, it was disturbing her. Even if he was the Captain, didn't she have a prior claim to the lobby? No one but her seemed to have taken any notice of the pair.

The girl had retreated a bit but it only made her Captain advance, raising one arm to the wall behind the woman.

Cat and mouse.

Nanao wondered why watching it was bothering her. After all her Captain didn't flirt with her and as she had told herself numerous times, she didn't desire to change that. What worth was there in being a conquest? Or an admirer? Especially to a man like him, a man who claimed he appreciated beauty, only on a grand scale. It sounded rather cheap to her. A ploy for quick pleasure.

Of course, as the resident kidou-instructor of Division Eight, Nanao wasn't sure she registered much on anyone's sex-appeal list. If she were to give the matter serious thought, she wasn't even sure what she'd want in a partner, other than for him to be nothing like her Captain who was lazy and inattentive and unfaithful. He was a legend in all the bad ways.

Really, why was it even any of her business? She didn't care one bit who he had sex with. Didn't care to think of him and sex at all, really. Thinking so, she again averted her eyes, expunging the scene from her memory as she scanned the text once more. A fruitless search.

The door rattled open and a bunch of little bodies piled through. Nanao recognized the three youngsters as her "junior club". There were always a number of graduated children from the academy spread about the Division. Eight was usually a good starting point for them as there was little combat. Briefly, she wondered how many little girls grew up under the watchful eye of her Captain and ended up in his bed in later years. Was that a violation of ethics? Though, he wasn't much of a father figure. He hadn't been to her, he couldn't see how anyone else could see him as one either, he was barely around anyway.

The junior club wandered through. They took cursory notice of their Captain leaning over the young women and wandered right off. Though they were probably whispering about it in scandalous tones not too far away.

Puberty wouldn't be far off for too many and then hormones would change views on everything.

Why was she even considering any of this? She wanted to read, not watch her Captain flirt and speculate her day away. Closing the book quietly, she stood. Her path to the door was short and unobstructed and no one noticed her.

No one usually did.

Quietly, Nanao slipped out the door. The attentive young woman, so keen to notice detail, failed to notice the eyes of her Captain follow her.


	65. Lesson

65 of 100: Lesson

SIDESTORY, AU,

Repost (Edited) 3.13.09

* * *

The room was quiet save for the sound of pencil and paper. On both sides of her were boys, best friends as the seating arrangement would have and the frequently talked around and over her head. Worse, Nanao had been forced to take one semester of art, along with the rest of her class this year.

Impossibly worse, the instructor for art was an abomination. "Art" was a fairly traditional medium for Nanao it usually involved paper of some sort and color. For her instructor, one Kyouraku Shunsui, it wasn't about that at all. It was about "expression". This expression could be demonstrated with any given medium: song, acting, pencil, paint, he didn't care.

Each day he assigned a prompt and the students were to give their "expression of feeling" for it. Three or four of the guys in the back would probably write six or seven words on appear, slap on a title and call it a poem.

Kyouraku-sensei didn't care. They'd pass.

Nanao usually tried to give some effort. He didn't show any more appreciation for her effort than he did for the idiots in the back. She wasn't sure why she continued to bother except for the fact that she didn't want to be lumped into the same group as morons.

The prompt for the day was "sound". She'd been staring at a blank page for thirty of the fifty-five minute class. Her pencil was nearby, her eraser on the opposite side, neither had been touched. The teacher, as he was most days, was at the desk. There were two exuberant flirty girls who sat in the front row and they were chatting. He always chatted during class. He did it after class too.

The man was the school heart-throb if that were possible for a man of his age. What was he, her father's age?

At least.

Thinking, she took a moment to rub her sweaty palms against the gray pleats of her uniform skirt before reaching for her pencil. One circle and triangle later and she was on her way to sketching something sound related. Something at least person shaped.

Or, that had been the plan. As she sketched and sketched, almond shapes and waves and puffs filled in the blank margins. Glancing up she took in a quick few details. With certainty, it was her teacher on her paper and the shape of his eyes wasn't quite right, so she left them. He had a long mouth and that unruly facial hair.

Did he ever shave?

On his head she drew a wide brimmed straw hat and stuck a piece of straw in his mouth. It looked like him enough to pass for him but she wasn't an artist by a mile.

Quietly, she worked on obscure details like long curls fanning over one shoulder and flower pins. The quiet chatting of the room continued on and she took no great notice. It was when she was sketching flowers on the collar of his juban she felt a touch of fabric at her shoulder.

Fabric to fabric touch was an indicator of someone standing _way_ too close.

Startled, she twisted, her head snapping up to find her white-coat teacher, with hands thrust in his pockets gazing down over her shoulder. He stared at it quietly.

"I didn't know you had an interest in portraits, Ise-san."

Her previous entries had been mostly essay based. In order to fit the criterion for art she had titled them "journal entries".

"I have none," she answered.

"Interesting choice of work."

Without asking, he reached down and stole the paper from beneath her arm raising it up for his inspection. The face was still incomplete with the eyes outlines and the mouth a long curved line. His facial hair though was dead on and kimono collar with its elaborate flowers and his hair were pretty. She thought it looked just like him.

Well, she thought they were pretty even if her art was limited. Willing herself not to blush at his inspection she held onto her pencil stiffly and squared her shoulders.

"This is your interpretation of sound?" He didn't _sound_ offended but he did seem curious. In fact, he wasn't looking at the paper anymore so she looked away.

No eye contact with art teacher. She avoided it studiously.

"Well, Sir, you do talk a lot."

A few others had noticed and realizing how that sounded she flushed, embarrassed. Did that count as insulting a teacher?

He laughed and offered the paper back. "Nice job."

Taking it, she hastily stuffed it beneath the blank stack on her desk. Well, she couldn't turn that in. With a handful of minutes left on the clock, she hastily sketched some music notes and clouds and signed her name to the bottom. It felt more artistic and more meaningful than her other thing. The only saving grace for art class was that it was the last class before lunch.

When the bell rang, she rose with everyone else and deposited her paper on his desk into a messy stack.

"Ise-san, stay."

The words were like lightning on a clear day, the worst of luck and unexpected. She'd never had an individual word with him in her life and had no interest in so now. Tense, she removed herself from the line, hovering awkwardly by the chalkboard as she waited for the last people to leave. No one gave her any funny glances; there was too much jubilation for the lunch hour.

There would be talk of the brain, Ise Nanao, being asked to stay after class _during_ lunch. She sighed and watched as the last girl flitted away with her girlfriend leaving Nanao alone.

"Yes, Sir?" she asked as she wandered over.

He was digging through papers absently. Nanao wondered if maybe she hadn't offended him after all. Even if he was a lousy teacher, she had drawn him rather liberally with all the facial hair and the long wavy locks. He did shave, after all, except for that patch on his chin and his hair was short and wavy. Maybe she'd been a bit too creative. Her perception of him was probably a violation of dress code, was that possible?

"Ise-san, what is this?"

He was holding up her clouds.

"My perception of sound," she answered lamely.

"But not your original?" he challenged looking directly at her.

Nanao was a little speechless. Not only had she never had a conversation with the man, she had never really _looked_ at him either. Today was the first day he'd even stopped at her desk. Whenever he walked through the aisles he did so quietly, only occasionally stopping to chat with one of the more talkative females.

"I don't have a perception of sound," she confessed. "I drew you because you were talking but I had no intention of turning it in."

Kyouraku Shunsui had brown eyes. Seeing them up close she could see now why she hadn't been able to draw them. She hadn't ever really _looked_ and it was probably bad for her to do so now. It felt like she was noticing him in a way she ought not be doing.

Not only were they brown they were… they were… they were the kind of eyes that _knew_ things. She had, she realized, underestimated the man.

"If I offended you, I apologize. It was truly not my intention."

He sat back and considered her. "You don't like this class, do you?"

Nanao squared her jaw and tried to think of a diplomatic answer. "I am not an artist."

"You don't need to be an artist to appreciate art."

"I don't need a class to appreciate art either, especially one that doesn't _teach_ anything."

When he didn't answer, Nanao tensed. That was probably an insult. Over the line at the very least. She needed to respect his place as her teacher. Opening her mouth to apologize- he interrupted.

"It's exactly what you need," he countered. "You're too focused. Taking a moment to appreciate the beauty of sound or the simplicity of a flower is something you do not do."

"There's no way for you to know that." This person spent an hour a day with her, what did he know?

"I'm not trying to insult you, Ise-san. I'm merely trying to _teach_ you."

She clung to her bag strap silently.

"Tomorrow, when I give you your assignment, give it your serious attention instead of over thinking whatever your mind dwells on that isn't related."

A gentle rapping at the open door announced another presence. The sleek Shihōin Yoruichi wandered in with a smile. Single woman. Her teacher was a single man. That was more connection than Nanao needed. Lunch was calling her name. "Am I interrupting?" the woman asked. Nanao looked away from the physical education teacher glad that she'd been spared that torment for a semester. She didn't dislike the woman personally but she hated gym. Looking back, she found Kyouraku-sensei was not looking at his colleague, he was looking at _her._ Was he still waiting for an answer? "Yes, Sir." "You can go," he offered and she turned on her heel and marched toward the door, relieved. She didn't dare look at the gym teacher. "Ise-san," he called as she reached the doorway, causing her to pause and glance back. "Points off for not submitting your original work." Points off? This from the man who let off morons with half-assed poetry? Narrowing her eyes she stared at him a long moment. Staring back at her with those appraising eyes, she let the fight go. Muttering a quick, "yes, sir," she turned around the corner of the door into the hall. Art tomorrow would come too soon.


	66. Sake

66 of 100: Sake

SIDESTORY

Repost (Edited) 3.13.09

* * *

Oh, he was _smashed._

He hiccupped.

But it felt good. It was three am and the world was asleep and his brain was buzzing. It was good even if his little charge was glaring at him. _Former _little at least. Nanao had been growing and growing and even if she was taller and curvier than she used to be, she still looked like she weighed nothing.

"Did you actually get beat up?" she asked, a tone of disbelief tinting her words.

"Hmmm?" he asked, looking up from her waist. She had a tiny waist, Nanao. Could he get his hands around it?

"Your face is swollen," she pointed out.

He raised a hand to his cheek. It did hurt. He didn't remember anyone clocking him though. Probably when he stumbled outside and hit the brick wall with his face.

"Tripped."

She frowned.

Little girls came, grew up, and went. Division Eight was good at that, sending off young women into other Divisions. Nanao had stayed and showed no signs of going anywhere. Probably because he didn't pick on her. Maybe that's why he didn't.

The young lady glared at his face like it offended her and then turned and walked out. Quietly, he stayed where he was, leaning against the back wall thinking about how much effort it would take him to get to his office where he had a bottle stashed. Maybe if he asked really nice Nanao would get it for him? And some cucumber slices to snack on.

His beleaguered brain told him that Ise Nanao wasn't the kind of girl to flirt with. She was too serious. To even keeled for a flighty man like him. Too apt to take him seriously and end up broken hearted and hitting the trail for a more dependable workplace. He wanted her to stay. She was probably the most competent woman in the whole place with her managerial skills and sheer dedication. She was absolutely the most focused. He needed her. Maybe he ought to promote her. It was his right, after all, to pick a Vice-Captain.

When she came back through the door, he was surprised. Of course, he was surprised to see her at three am at all. Wasn't she a sunrise and sunset kind of girl?

"Have you been up all night?" he asked.

"I was reading," she answered.

"Don't you usually do that in your room?"

Nanao was looking down at a tiny box he recognized as the first aid kit. She was fiddling inside it looking for something.

"My room was not a quiet place so I came here."

He scratched his head and wondered at the nature of the disruption briefly as he watched her locate her prize. It was a little red and white packet. She tore it open with nimble fingers and raised herself up on her knees toward him.

"Turn your head."

He did, looking away from her toward the right and when she touched the tiny white gauze pad to his cheek, he hissed softly. It burned.

"You scratched yourself very nicely," she observed the reddened, puffy skin. It was bleeding, but only faintly. The lacerations were superficial.

"It feels like your burning my skin off."

He could only feel the pressure of her fingers through the pad and she drew them away when she was done not sparing him even the faintest of extra touches. Nanao had tiny fingers. Of course, all of her was tiny.

"Do you flirt, Nanao?"

Crumbling the used gauze in her palm along with its paper packet to discard it, she paused and looked up. "No."

He sighed and sagged against the wall. "Do you think of me as daddy? Little Nanao-chan's daddy," he murmured.

"Sir, with all due respect, I think you drinking has damaged your brain." She snapped the case closed and rose. He watched her go wondering if she was coming back. His office wasn't really that far, he could probably make it there. He'd crashed in his office many times before, there was an extra blanket in the-

"You need to go to bed now." She was across the room and leaning down to grab his arm before he could process her being there once more. Struggling, he fumbled up onto his feet and allowed her to pull him out the door. Up a hallway and up some stairs and he was at the door to his on-site quarters. She was already opening them up.

There was no sake up here. He had drunk it all sometime last week. Staring into the darkened room, his mind wandered backwards.

"You really don't think of me as your father?"

The hand on his arm was light. She was gripping the fabric, not even touching his skin. A skilled woman, Nanao was, especially at avoiding physical contact. Did it offend her? As a little girl, she had read with him. She would often end up under his arm curdled up at his side or in his lap.

Now grown up, Nanao watched him flirt. Of course, he thought, she had always watched him flirt. It was not a new habit. Did he disgust her? Maybe she hated him? Had her maturation altered her opinion of him?

"I had a father, Sir, before I came here."

"Did he send you to the Academy? Was it his last dying wish for you to be safe?"

She was staring at him like he had two heads. "No. My father is a merchant, he owns shops. I ran away."

"Did he beat you? Did he-"

"Why are we talking about my family? Go to bed!" she snapped irritably, pointing into the room. The fabric of his sleeve crumpled in her fist as she tried to drag him awkwardly _forward_ without moving herself and failed. "You are drunk; you need to go to sleep. You have work in the morning, however little you like that."

Pushing away from the frame, he took a wobbly step forward and turned, reached down to cup her cheek, startling the glare right off her face. "If I'm not daddy, who am I?"

In fact, she flushed brightly, looking startled. "You're my Captain," she answered looking for all the world as if maintaining her composure was a battle. "Is that insufficient?"

"Nanao-chan glares at me when I flirt, but I can't flirt with Nanao," he murmured. "I don't think she'd let me."

"I don't see how this makes any difference," she answered as she slapped his hand away from her face, looking relieved to have it removed. "I'm not going to sleep with you anyway."

Fuzzily, he stared down at her.

Sleep with him? He glanced over her body quickly. Sleep with him? Here he'd been dreading the thought of Nanao looking up to him as a father figure and becoming increasingly disgusted with his flirting and she was thinking she would never _sleep _with him? Did that mean she'd considered it?

"Were you thinking about it?" he leaned back resting his weight against the frame.

Sleeping with Nanao?

"I've had _enough_. Go to bed right now! Don't make me drag you in there!" she pointed into the darkened room angrily.

He took an obedient step into the room just over the threshold and turned back. "I didn't know you could be so commanding, Nanao-chan," he murmured huskily. That was sexy.

She glared and he frowned.

"Are you even old enough for-"

She slammed the door.


	67. Tub

67 of 100: Tub

* * *

"Nanao-chan is naked."

Nanao shivered as she immersed herself into the scented water.

"Shut up!" she snapped irritably. "What's so important that it couldn't wait until I was done?"

"Ahhh," he drawled in that low tone that usually indicated bad news.

She heard cloth rustle and hoped he wasn't disrobing. There certainly wasn't enough room for him in her tiny wooden tub. There was probably not enough for him in the tub alone. It was tiny and round and big enough for her to submerge her torso as was necessary.

Kyouraku-sama had offered her the bath for her medicinal soaks but Nanao had flatly refused. The scent was pungent and irritating at best, nauseating at worst and she didn't want to burden anyone else anymore than she already had with her presence and now her special bath salts. In response, he had furnished her with a tub for her room and the servants had brought hot water. It was a bit old fashioned, but it worked.

In addition to the powdered solution that Captain Unohana had left her to make into a fruity scented tea, there was also a topical cream the burned on application and smelled like dirt and the crystalline substance she was supposed to add to her bathwater. Curling her legs over the side, she sank her torso deep pulling her arms inside. It wasn't comfortable but it would work if Captain Unohana said so, so Nanao obeyed her instructions.

It had only been two days.

The inflammation was noticeably decreased. The redness was giving way slowly and the tightness seemed to have eased, if only a little. It certainly hurt less.

"The Old Man is wondering where I've been and there have been a few wrinkles at the Division."

Wrinkles? "Serious problems?" she leaned back against the wood. It was rough against her back but the water was still hot and it was soothing and she had placed the privacy screen exactly for this purpose.

Him.

"There was a little fire. I think Honda might be getting picked on."

Whatever the circumstance, the Captain didn't like people to be picked on. She knew what he'd come to tell her.

"When are you leaving?" she asked softly.

Nanao stared at the screen as though she could see him through it. Or will herself to see him through it.

"The sooner the better. You need more time and I can't do anything from here."

Absently, she wondered what kind of things he was going to be doing back at the office. His being away was certainly odd. Double odd that she was away at the same time. Would the Captain-Commander come send the Second Division to retrieve her?

"I see."

Over her shoulder, Nanao eyed the screen as if expecting to see his head creeping around it. She hadn't heard the door open, but he was a sly man. Probably not likely to be peeping though.

Or… she didn't think so.

"I don't have the official capacity to give you orders, but I expect you to remain here."

"I know."

What use would it be for her to leave when there was so much personal danger? After all, he was correct. He was needed elsewhere and couldn't stay with her. She was in danger of losing her freedom to the Kidou Corps.

She would stay.

* * *

She had barely stepped out the door of her room when he appeared. The tall, broody man that was her Captain's brother.

"Hello, Kyouraku-sama," she offered quietly.

"Ah, Ise-san. I was just coming to see you. I have an errand to attend to tonight, so you'll be by yourself. I've told the servants to plan dinner to whatever time you prefer."

Alone?

A terrible sense of worry settled over her shoulders. Or was it paranoia? What if the Second Division agents sneaked in whilst she was eating? Or during the night? Worse, what if Kyouraku-sama had reported her?

"I understand," she murmured. "Thank you for the warning. I'm sorry, again, for taking up your home."

"Shunsui left. I hope you won't be uncomfortable in his absence."

"Oh, no. You've been very kind."

They stood together for a moment exchanging glances and trying to think of something to say before he stepped back.

"I'll return mid-morning tomorrow."

Nodding, she bid him an amiable farewell and watched him disappear.

Her alone in Kyouraku house?

* * *


	68. Wing

68 of 100: Wing

* * *

The tension immediately assailed him. Strolling through the front doors, the normally chatty secretaries were stiff and all four were reading. He paused just inside waiting until the women looked up to notice him.

Four faces lit up, first in surprise and then in visible relief. One of the four took a cursory glance around as if searching for surveillance.

"Captain, Sir."

He inclined his head before smiling lazily. "Ladies, my days haven't been the same without you."

"Sir," one, Suki, stood up. In her slim fingers was a stack of mail and he regarded it with loathing even as he walked over to retrieve it. On top was a memo.

"Thank you, thank you. I miss my sweet Nanao-chan doing all this. Where's Honda?"

The women exchanged glances. "He hasn't come in yet today, Sir."

Tension was a mild word. Something was terribly amiss in the office.

* * *

The mail found a resting place on his desk. The neat stack fell over as he absently tossed it aside. The memo atop was something about an inaccurate order that needed clarification. He moved to discard it in his basket when he noticed a shadow passing through the paper and turned it over.

_They're watching us._

Ah.

He smiled slowly. Had the Kidou Corps infiltrated his office? His suspicions about Honda's absences intensified. Crumbling the paper in his fist and tossed it into the nearby wastebasket.

He had no sooner decided that maybe he ought to go for a short walk when a tiny thing flittered in the door. The wings of the hell butterfly glittered as it floated in his direction landing with soft grace upon his shoulder. The summons was brief and perfunctory and utterly convenient.

_Come to Division One._

Good.

He needed to go there anyway.

* * *

Nanao heard conversation somewhere behind her.

A man.

Her initial thoughts turned toward Kyouraku-sama. It was only eight in the morning and a bit early for him to be back. Hadn't he told her yesterday to expect him at mid-morning? Once more seated on the back veranda she turned hearing footsteps near. She didn't know his footsteps well enough to identify him.

"Ise-san," the servant girl chirped. The girl, with short cropped hair and the plain beige colored kimono bowed deeply. "A guest has come and has asked for you."

A…guest?

Quickly, her mind lept in several directions and she uncurled her legs from beneath her so they hung over the edge of the wooden porch. It was ludicrous to think of escaping on foot, but she was preparing herself for the possibility. Maybe if she incapacitated him first, _then_ she could escape.

There was no one who ought to be _visiting_ her. No one ought to know she was there.

Anxiously, Nanao waited, her fear notching higher as the silence lengthened. When a dark, spiky head stepped out onto the porch her mind sizzled. Three tiny horns on the forehead gleamed. His hands were tucked into the white sleeves of his labcoat.

"Good morning, Ise-san."

It was Akon.


	69. Jewel

69 of 100: Jewel

* * *

"For such little effort in your concealment you should not be surprised at your discovery," the stoic scientist offered as Nanao gaped at him rather astonished.

"You were the last person I expected to see show up."

He shrugged one shoulder absently, with no change of expression. "I find it rather interesting, Ise Nanao, uptight Vice-Captain suddenly turned fugitive."

Akon wasn't like either of the Kyouraku brothers who commanded the doorway when they stood in it. He was thin and neat and looked the part of a doctor. It had been quite some time since she'd seen him. It wasn't standard practice for Division Twelve to do retrievals so… why was he here?

Nanao took little offense to the comment, too surprised to see him to quibble. "And so you decided to look or was it glaringly obvious?"

She wasn't honestly sure _where_ someone would look if they were looking for her. It had simply never happened before firstly. Secondly, Nanao was _always_ easy to find.

Previous to now, at least.

"Actually," he inclined his head. "Most people haven't the faintest idea that you're missing of a fugitive at all. There was a memo delivered via hell butterfly to the Captains but there's been no big announcement. Strangely, Division One is keeping it very quiet and the Kidou Corps doesn't have the authority to issue search orders."

"And the Central 46?"

The Kidou Corps could absolutely appeal to the Central 46 and _they _could issue search orders _and_ execution orders.

His lips curved into an interesting smile, sinister if she were inclined to believe it. "No word."

"If that is the case, then why are you here?"

He looked beyond her then, into the garden and the shift made her nervous. She had sensed no one out there behind her and didn't dare look away from her company. Circumstances had made her wary. "I was curious," he repeated. "And I wanted to bring a gift."

Akon's lips curved again. He was obviously enjoying himself.

"I made it myself." His pale hands slid out of his opposing sleeves and in one palm was a glittering silver chain with green crystals. "It's been tested successfully but never in a field environment. I'm offering it to you."

She stared. "What is it?" Nanao did not reach for it.

"A reiatsu blocker. It's extremely unlikely they'll allow it for general sale but I think the Shinigami Women's Association might like the design. I made it female appropriate."

Nanao couldn't argue the point. It looked like fine jewelry and just as fragile. How would that stand up to a _field test_? Why, moreover, did she need it?

"Best advice, Ise Nanao, take the bracelet and go quickly. Vice-Captain of Eight is in custody and the Captain was called to First Division last night. Rumor has it he hasn't come back out yet."

If he was being truthful, and there was no indication otherwise, she was lucky to have such an ally.

"What has happened to Hinamori and Hantaraou?"

The bracelet dangled from Akon's fingers as he waited for her to take it. "The medic has returned to work. The Vice-Captain of Five is under observation at Division Four but she has Kidou Corp guards."

"If this is what's going to happen, why hide?" she sighed softly.

He stepped forward and reached for her wrist and it startled her. Akon's fingers were cold as he loosely brought her hand up and she allowed him to clip it on her. Immediately she felt it and it didn't feel good. It was like being smothered beneath a thick blanket. Bringing a hand up over her mouth she turned abruptly to lean her weight on the column. A flash of heat swept up her neck.

"The feeling will pass in a moment. Having no reiatsu is an abnormal condition for a shinigami, more so for an officer. There are no permanent side-effects."

The heavy feeling was slowly lifting.

"Think carefully on your choices, Ise-san. It is all a matter of proof, is it not? If there is no proof, what will happen?"

"But there's other proof," she argued. "There are witnesses; the First Division Captain himself, there's the release we signed."

"Did you sign it?" he countered. "What exactly _did_ you sign? Do you remember?"

The feeling had faded enough that she straightened and she stared at him. "How do you know all this?"

Akon smiled once more, this time a self-satisfied grin. "I am part of Division Twelve, and more often than not Ise san, we know everything."

* * *

"You've lost your touch, Old Man."

The quiet tap-tapping continued as absent fingers danced on the table absently.

"Nonsense," his companion grumbled. "You are still a puppy. Respect your elders."

Shunsui scratched his cheek as he watched the Commander-General stare at the chess board. There were many, many pieces left. "We'll be here all year," he muttered.

"Patience, Shunsui."

The gentle quiet of room was disturbed only the melodious sloshing of the nearby water fountain. The two men carried on with their game. A quick tap on the door made Shunsui turn his head, a messenger was kneeling, his face covered.

"Urgent message, Commander."

It was a Special Operations soldier from Division Two.

"Mmm?" the man hummed as he continued to stare at the board. "Out with it."

"We have lost track of Ise Nanao."

The Commander turned and opened one curious eye. "Lost?"

"Her reiatsu signature has gone off the chart. She has disappeared, Sir." The messenger, draped in black, never raised his head.

Shunsui considered. "Can you track a person in the Rukongai?"

"Only to so many levels, Sir. The farther out, the less chance of finding her. Division Twelve may have further options available."

"If she is found too early there will be nothing that I can do," the Commander stated as he sat back, his aged face serene.


	70. Childhood Friend

69 of 100: Childhood Friend

SIDESTORY

* * *

"It's just so annoying!" the girl exclaimed. Her right hand was playing with the edges of the book. The girl's attention had obviously strayed far from its content. "What would you do?"

Nanao looked up from Hinamori's nervous hands. The betrayal, of what could probably be called her "first love", by Captain Aizen had devastated her for so long it was nice to see her looking young and excited again. Nanao was happy for her in a way. Of course, being happy for her didn't exactly translate into being open for love advice. How many men had Hinamori seen with Nanao lately?

"You have been friends with him for a long time; can you not simply discuss it?"

It sounded reasonable to her. Of course, being reasonable and being courageous were probably different. After all, Nanao had known Captain Kyouraku since she was a child and she would not be comfortable discussing such things with _him._

"I can't _talk_ about it! He _kissed_ me, Nanao! On the mouth!"

The girl sounded utterly scandalized and Nanao wasn't really sure what she wanted from her.

"Only on the mouth? Honey, he needs a little lesson."

Nanao had the feeling that Matsumoto simply wouldn't understand. The tall, busty blonde could have any male she wanted. Little Hinamori and Nanao didn't have that kind … appeal. Looking up, she gave the older woman a withering glance. "Can you please be a little quieter? This is a library."

Matsumoto took a chair with a huff. "You're scolding me for being loud when you two are in here being lewd?"

"We're not being lewd," Nanao. "We're reading."

"About lewd things?" Matsumoto arched a brow. "And who kissed you? Spill it, girl." She leaned her elbow on the table and angled herself toward Hinamori who was looking increasingly uncomfortable.

Before Hinamori could say anything, Matsumoto brightened. "It was Taicho, wasn't it!? I _knew_ he was acting odd yesterday. Was it a good kiss, I told him he needed to practice, I offered myself of course, but he got all flustered and kicked me out of the office. The plus was, of course, that I got to go out drinking early, but then I learned he cut my work hours so I didn't get paid for getting kicked out! You lucky girl, was it good?"

Nanao and Momo stared at the woman speechlessly and then the latter shut her book looking a bit red in the cheeks.

"I'm sorry; I really think I need to go now. Um, there are things at the Office I haven't finished. I'm so sorry to leave in the middle of our conversation."

Hinamori did all but run and Nanao stared at Matsumoto a moment. "Did you really talk to him about it?"

"Of course. I've been telling him for ages to just go for it. He'll jump head-first into danger but won't kiss a girl he likes. Anyway, forget about that – did you hear?"

Matsumoto started in on the latest gossip and Nanao wondered how to get herself out of it politely.

* * *

"Oh!" Hinamori sighed, again, for the forth time. The young girl had come by Nanao's office not an hour after leaving the library at lunch. She was obviously distressed. "I don't know what to do."

"Go talk to him," Nanao urged, yet again.

"And say what? 'Why did you kiss me?' Or maybe I should say, 'How dare you kiss me without asking first!' I just don't know."

Nanao sympathized with her situation but it was getting annoying. Maybe they ought to break down the situation a little more instead of going in circles. She sat aside her pen.

"Did you like him kissing you?"

The girl immediately blushed. "I … I… Nanao! You can't ask that!"

"I've given you the only answer I know, if that is insufficient, let's examine the situation. If you liked him kissing you, then you can go and ask him about his feelings or offer your own. If you didn't like him kissing you, you can reprimand him, but you have to say _something_ because he is your friend, whether he kissed you or not."

"It's so embarrassing though, but I see what you mean. I don't want to hurt his feelings by avoiding him."

Nanao agreed. Hinamori had already runaway from him, poor Hitsuyaga was probably over thinking it all.

"Just go and talk to him. Don't mention the kiss if you're not comfortable, but say something. Apologize, at least, for running away."

"Yes," Hinamori bit her lip. "I really should. I'm sorry for bothering you all afternoon; I'll go and talk to him. Maybe I'll take him his favorite snack as an apology."

"Good start."

"Yes… Yes, I think so," she murmured, looking more and surer of herself as she stood. "Thank you, bye-bye."

Hinamori gave a wave and fled out the door, much the way she'd come in. Nanao had barely picked up her pen when the Captain came in.

"Is Nanao-chan our new love counselor?"

"Not for you."

"I'm hurt," he held a hand to his chest and that's when she noticed his top seemed a bit more loose than usual. Most likely he had just woken from a rather good nap. It would explain why the place had been so quiet for the last few hours. "I was going to offer her a kiss myself as a contrast to her young paramour but thought Nanao-chan might get jealous."

"Kissing Hinamori might result in Captain Hitsuyaga being quite upset with you, Sir, and we could do without the problems."

He gave it a moment's thought.

"And speaking of problems, you have work to attend to. Please report to your desk."


	71. Troublemaker

71 of 100: Trouble maker

* * *

Nanao cursed.

Life was punishing her. She had no choice, she thought as she sneaked around the side of the building toward the darkened side. There were no lights beside the hydrangea bushes on the right side of the house. Of course, only a fool would break into _this_ house. Only a _fool_ would be creeping around the Inner Court whilst being a fugitive. If she'd had any doubts about herself, they were long extinguished.

She, as she well knew tonight, was a fool. At least she had the fine sense to know the person who owned the house wasn't home, at least that was the case if Akon was to be trusted. Her experience with the staff of Division Twelve told her that they often had ulterior motives. At this point, there was no way to guess Akon's motives, but she had an inking, she thought, as she glanced toward her wrist and the offending jewelry there.

That aside, Nanao wasn't about to get caught breaking and entering, who knew what would happen if she did. Another charge to her, now, blemished record. Fugitive and thief were a couple of rungs below the ugly moniker of _traitor._

Reaching up she slid her fingers along the wood grain of the sill searching for a finger hold. The windows wouldn't be locked; he left them purposely so in case one of his fits of drunkenness found him locked out of his residence. Finding a depression, she tightened her grip and shoved and the window slid easily.

The house was well maintained.

The window slid open all the way and she peered into the darkness beyond. Her night adjusted eyes recognized vague shapes but nothing person shaped. Just because she didn't expect anyone didn't mean that there wouldn't _be_ anyone. In addition, the little trinket on her wrist was making her head oddly fuzzy. Her senses felt sluggish. All looked good. Grabbing the sill, she hauled herself up throwing one leg over and using it as leverage to pull herself inside.

As she sat her foot down inside she repressed another swear. Not only was she breaking in, she had her shoes on inside his house. Now she was being a _rude_ thief. On the bright side of things, it wasn't raining, so there would be no tracks.

Peering around, she realized she was in his bedroom. A futon was still messily tossed onto the floor nearby. Inhaling deeply, she exhaled with a sigh. The room smelled like him.

Silver metal around her wrist gleamed when it caught stray light and crystals that she couldn't see were green in the darkness glittered eerily. Nanao crept toward the darkened hall.

A tiny "mew" in the next room startled her so badly she jumped, one hand clutching at her chest as her breath lodged. The low light didn't hide the cat who sat perched on a nearby table and belatedly Nanao remembered it. She felt foolish for having forgotten it.

The stray, Olio, white and moody.

Pulse pounding, Nanao continued on, unsure of her purpose as she entered the kitchen and paused at the sink. There was a window there and hastily she moved away from it. Paranoia lapped at her like the rough pad of a cat's tongue against her cheek.

She needed to think. A plan, a plan was what she needed. Quietly, she toed back toward the sitting room, avoiding the windows as she went. The last thing she needed was for a neighbor to spot movement in the supposedly empty house. Turning a corner, a noise caught her ear.

A slide.

A door!

It was too late.

* * *

AN: The chapters 71-73 are a bit short so they'll all be posted close together today (I don't like cliffhangers). But I'm writing right now, so it won't be immediately.


	72. Dirt

72 of 100: Dirt

* * *

Kyouraku Shunsui reclined lazily against the cushion; his elbow sank deep into the burgundy cloth. The man adjacent to him was still standing despite the invitation he'd been given to sit. He hadn't missed the critical stare leveled on him by the visitor, but he'd blithely ignored it.

The visitor's back was straight, his shoulders the same, tight lines. A man who lived on the edge of tension, absently he reminded the other of Nanao.

Stiff.

Tense.

Duty-bound.

It was the guest's fourth such trip to the Division One office. None of the previous visits had been any more successful than the latest would be. Shunsui couldn't recall his name but had the vague impression it began with a "Y". If Nanao were there she'd primly remind of him of the guy's name and then reprimand him for not being respectful. The Captain of the Kidou Corps, she would say, would warrant his respect. Shunsui wasn't sure he agreed, especially since that group was trying to steal members of the Division offices instead of recruiting them.

The Captain Commander was holding a rounded cup filled almost too full with loose-leaf prepared green tea. Shunsui watched.

"I have been informed that the fugitive, Ise Nanao, has disappeared from the Division Twelve tracking office." The Kidou Captain had a voice that was equally tense. His thin fingers were formed into fists, hands probably suited to the fine art of energy manipulation, were then balled up under his crossed arms.

"Ise Nanao," the Commander repeated.

"Yes, Captain, Ise Nanao, former Vice Captain of Divisions Eight and Thirteen, currently being sought in connection with unauthorized use of banned kidou."

Prim, Shunsui thought. The man had a sort of delicateness to him. His mouth was slender and lent well to frowning.

There was a long moment of silence.

"May I ask again, Sir, has Ise Nanao received permission to leave Soul Society?" The Kidou Captain's coat was perfectly unwrinkled. Nanao would probably like working for him; he looked orderly. No flirting with the staff or unscheduled breaks for drinks.

Boring was what came to mind. The man looked boring.

Shunsui would bet his sandals that the good Captain didn't drink. Probably couldn't hold a bottle let alone several without passing out.

A lesser man, Shunsui decided.

"Ise Nanao has not left Soul Society," the Captain answered as he sat back, bringing his tea to his lips. It was still steaming.

"Then you know where she is?"

"No," the old man answered softly as he sighed.

"If you do not know where she is, how do you know she has not left Soul Society?" Captain of the Kidou Corps uncrossed his arms and put them down by his sides for a moment before he brought them back up against his chest. Shunsui wondered if he was the type of man to pace.

* * *

"Specimen 4,635E has been received for processing, Sir."

Akon looked down from his screen briefly glancing at the messenger and parcel before returning his eyes to the screen. "Just take it to the lab."

The girl, a tiny thing with blonde hair, looked skittish. Instead of obeying, she lingered, not quite fidgeting but not still.

"It's addressed specifically to you, Sir."

There was a kind of nervous tension in her. As if she feared reprisal for not delivering his packages to the correct area. Many such packages came to him. The girl must be new, he theorized as he took a cursory glance at the package.

The return stamp simply read, "Courier 13." The messengers were numbered but the numbers, as he could tell, meant little.

It was a slim package, legal sized. It was probably paperwork he'd requested. "Just set it down on the table there," he ordered and the girl happily complied. She was gone before he could blink and he looked back at his screen. The press of one key displayed a map and a single blinking dot and the words "residential district."


	73. Old Money

73 of 100: Old Money

* * *

Nanao stood. Her muscles felt locked, her heart hammering. She dry swallowed. Deep brown eyes focused on her face as her unexpected visitor crowded the doorway.

_Caught._

The word echoed around her brain.

"Well." His deep voice seemed to reverberate in the small entryway where they stood. "I'm can't say I'm not surprised."

Words caught in her throat as she tried to think of something to say in return.

He continued, "Though I was under the impression you followed orders much better than this."

"Orders?" she queried, taking a step back. It made her nervous, how close he was, how he towered over her tiny frame. She had last seen him, when? Days ago?

"Orders," he repeated, taking a step forward. The door behind him, she saw, was closed fully. Darkness closed in around them. She was... was he dangerous? "I thought my brother brought you to my home for safe keeping and, strangely, I find you here in his residence."

Another step forward by him forced her farther backwards. Nanao grasped for words. "Unexpected complications made me alter my plans a bit."

A moment of silence passed between them.

"Kyouraku-sama, why are you here?"

If his smile disconcerted her, it was difficult to tell.

* * *

There was a gravel walkway leading up through thick hedges. Nanao could see the top of the building, tall, stately and expensive. The gate was painted white and had a plaque with only a number and no family-name attached. Anxiously, she gripped the tiny white card in her hand and reached for the latch to let herself in.

The other side of the gate was more gravel path leading up to a wide veranda. No one was loitering about waiting to chastise her for entering without permission. The long walkway was edged with flowers and her sandals slipped on the loose rocks. At the porch – the door slid open and a woman carrying and oversized flower pot waddled out. She caught Nanao out of the corner of her eye and gasped, surprised.

"Goodness, girl, you surprised me!" she gaped setting the pot down on the wooden deck. Taking a moment, she tapped her chest with her palm as if trying to slow her heart. "Oh. My. What a morning. Can I help you?"

The lady was older than Nanao and her kimono was neat, but plain. Nanao handed her the card wordlessly and the woman glanced over it.

"Ah. You're a guest of Kyouraku-sama!" she exclaimed. "Welcome to Fox Springs Garden! Please come in." The lady started to head in and then paused. "Er… do you have no baggage?"

"No," Nanao paused. "My stay will be of short duration."

The woman blinked and nodded a bit numbly. "I see. Please come inside. "

Within, Nanao discarded her sandals and followed the hostess. Kyouraku-sama had been rather evasive with her about the lodge. _"If you will not stay where he left you, you might as well head up to my vacation home. It's empty except for the servants this time of year." _

He'd given her a card with his name and the direction, "Please see to my guest." At the bottom it read, "Show her my special room."

Nanao's face felt warm as she considered the potential implications of such a comment. Surely this lady did not think she was a loose woman? A few steps ahead of her, the lady stopped. "This is it. Please feel welcome, may I prepare some tea for you?"

At the opened doorway Nanao paused. It wasn't a bedroom or anything so crass but a library. A tiny personal library at that. Why had he-?

"No, thank you, I do not wish to trouble you. "

She bowed and Nanao returned.

"Please call for me if you need anything. "

In moments, Nanao was alone and staring at old bookshelves. Stepping in, she started peering over titles in curiosity. Why had he sent her here?

* * *

The feather light wings of the hell-butterfly twinkled as it floated out the open Division Two window. Inside, rows of black clothed men and women were kneeling. Omeada, the rounded Vice-Captain was curled up at the front, a heavy plate of rice-cakes in front of him.

The stoic Captain glared down at her soldiers as if unhappy with their presence or unhappy about the orders. A side glance at her Vice-Captain ticked up her glare a notch. "You have your orders, dismissed."

In a blur, the group vanished, scattered out the open entryways.


	74. Holiday

74 of 100: Holiday

* * *

Nanao had been in the secluded library almost two days. The book selection was fascinating. Rare, old tomes that she'd never even known existed were suddenly at her fingertips. The irritation she'd felt at him for sending her to his personal library, for assuming she was a mousy bookworm, had fled. Initially, the whole idea had left her a bit perplexed. Since then she'd gone through a series of emotions that all felt distinctly disconnected.

Fox Springs Garden, the name of the Kyouraku Family vacation home was a mansion the likes of which she'd never even fantasized about. Nanao was not a girl who believed in living in dreams above her means; she had always been content with what she had. After all, even her meager ways were better than life in the lowest parts of the Rukongai.

Now, in the lush surroundings of Fox Springs, she was feeling a bit spoiled. The servant, Kayko, always brought her tea while she was reading and prepared her meals at precise hours. It was a dream paradise in a number of ways even as she anxiously peered out the windows in fear that perhaps someone was watching the place waiting to snatch her the moment she left the building.

It was all getting a bit much.

Wandering away from the window, Nanao took a seat quietly and reached for the book she'd been browsing for almost two hours. She hadn't expected to find a kidou text and she'd certainly never expected one of such a nature. The practical implementation was even harder. Worse, Captain Unohana had strictly prohibited such things. Nanao was feeling a bit caged.

There was no way backward anymore.

* * *

"You need to settle down."

Shunsui turned his head in sheer disbelief. "You're the older brother, you're not married yet."

"I didn't say _married_, I said settle down. There is a clear difference."

The two brothers stared at each other over the table and the sake spread. It was the fourth bottle, tiny that they were. The food had been largely untouched.

Shunsui laid his head back down on his arms that were curled behind his head. "Nah. Settling down is boring."

"What about that officer of yours? She seems rather interesting."

Shunsui shifted enough to scratch his temple and then resettled. "You mean Nanao-chan?"

"Ise-san, yes. She's an interesting woman, she seems competent. Was she the manager of your office?"

"Not manager exactly, Vice-Captain."

"That means nothing to me, of course. I care little for such business. If her career in those offices in over, I would consider taking her off your hands, I always have a use for competent women."

Kiyoshi stared down at his younger brother.

"You want to make Nanao-chan one of your servants?" Shunsui's mouth curved. "I'm not sure she'd enjoy that."

"Don't be daft, Shunsui. I do not give advice I am unwilling to take. She seems competent; she could manage the Kyouraku family capably. I have not yet married."

Shunsui frowned but showed little other reaction. "A hundred years must've really changed you to even mention such a thing. Last I recall you were lecturing me about our noble bloodline and my running around with Rukongai girls. "

Kiyoshi scoffed. "It has been a long hundred years for me. In any case, I've no plans to rush off and marry Ise-san or anyone else, I'm merely making conversation."

* * *

Foolish.

She'd called herself stupid in many ways over the past few days. Nanao was tired of running away. This wasn't her way. quietly slipping away from Kayko who had disappeared into the kitchens, Nanao stepped out the back door into the garden. There was a thick grove of trees on the opposite edge of the pond. Following the pathway she paused to peer down at her reflection in the garden water. Her shimmering image looked faded and washed out.

She couldn't do this forever.

Already it felt like too long. Running her hand along the railing of the bridge that crossed the water, her eyes caught the sparkle of her bracelet. That too… her accomplices… she was in too much trouble. It was really past time to take responsibility for this whole fiasco. Maximum punishment scales considered, Nanao didn't think they were really interested in executing her. It seemed far too much like a scheme to pull her into the secretive Kidou Corps than anything else. Nanao simply didn't have those kinds of enemies.

If that's what it took, if that's what she was meant to do, well, maybe that's what she needed. It was better than getting anyone else into trouble with her anymore than she already had. In the shade of the tree grove, off the gravel path, Nanao took a deep breath breathing in the earthen scent. It was a truly peaceful place, this house. She smiled softly and reached toward her wrist, unclipping the bracelet.

She'd made her decision.


	75. King

75 of 100: King*

* * *

It was hardly subtle. The announcement was like a thunderclap across Soul Society.

_Ise Nanao captured._

The details were scarce and the rumor mill was churning full speed with salacious details. She'd been found in a library in the far north one mess hall whispered. Another implemented the powerful Kyouraku family had been harboring her. Even more promised sinewy details of shady nights in a brothel district.

Akon tipped the envelope onto his desk after glancing at the front. It contained little more than a specimen number and the weight and feel of it promised paper. It was standard policy of his to tip the contents of all envelopes onto a desktop and never touch it directly without visual inspection.

The red TOP SECRET stamp immediately caught his eye. Turning the pages so he could read the text he gave it a quick glance over and grinned.

* * *

Captain Kyouraku took a deep breath and sighed. Across the narrow table, Captain Ukitake sipped rapidly cooling tea. Perhaps it was the breeze floating in from the open doorway where they were perched.

"_Shut-up, you ninny!" _

"_Who are you calling a 'ninny' you rube!"_

"_Rube?!"_

"_Didn't hear me the first time? You stooge? Going deaf now?"_

The two men shared a glance as the two junior officers, Kiyone and Sentaro, continued exchanging insults.

"I think we should be focusing on the issue here," Captain Ukitake calmly intervened.

"Yes, Sir!" Kiyone immediately agreed. "We need to rescue Ise-san! I heard she was captured and thrown into Division Nine's detention center."

"_Not Division Nine, Division Eleven!"_

"Actually-" Captain Ukitake interrupted again. "Ise-san is in holding at the Division Four medical center under Captain Unohana."

"They hurt her! Those monkeys!" Kiyone pumped her fist dramatically. "I demand retribution for this! They can't be abusing our members!"

"Nanao-chan is unhurt. " The two junior officers turned toward Captain Kyouraku. "She's required to undergo an examination. She'll be transferred to Division One detention center tomorrow afternoon."

"_Are they going to punish her?"_

"_Can she come back?"_

"_What can we do to help?"_

Captain Kyouraku smiled encouragingly. "Not a thing."

* * *

"You are a reckless girl, Ise Nanao." The gentle retribution made her turn. Her "cell" was guarded, indoors and outdoors, and from what she'd over heard the medical staff outside did not appreciate the armory cluttering their halls.

The 4th Captain stepped inside, the guards moving scant inches to allow her entry before closing her in again. Nanao thought it as all absurd. They were treating her like a major criminal.

"Everything is well out of hand," Nanao answered. "I do not like this chaos and I wish to be done with it. Do you know what is to be done with me?"

"I am here to examine you. The Kidou Corps is making claims that you have used restricted kidou without permission. Said usage results in bodily damage to the user – part of the reason those spells are forbidden. I am to report on whether you bear such damage."

Nanao nodded. Who was listening, she wondered and what were the rumor mills saying about her now? She had, after wandering the tiny grove of trees in Fox Springs, unclasped her bracelet and fled. She'd never said goodbye to Kayko, another thing she was regretting. There were all too many regrets now. Perhaps later she'd have time to make apologizes.

"I understand. What must I do?" Nanao asked.

* * *

In the purposely dimmed light of his office, Akon glanced over the papers spread over the surface of his desk. It was approaching ten hours he'd been pouring over the pages meticulously. Rin had given him a key update at noon – Ise Nanao was being remanded into the custody of Division One in the afternoon of the following day. He had plenty of time.


	76. Calendar

76 of 100: Calendar

To Fulfill a Request: AU

* * *

The days rolled by with startling quickness. There was a handful left until graduation. Nanao was _prepared_. Her credits were all earned, her grades top-notch, everything was in order. But she wasn't _ready_. The thought of leaving school, her sanctuary, for the wide-open world beyond was terrifying. She didn't know what she wanted to do with her life, how was she supposed to know? Where was she to go?

University with all likelihood but for what? Art? Never. Music? She had no such talents. Business? Acceptable, but boring. Humanities? Uninteresting. Health-care, not in a million years. It was terrible.

Her parents were both in business related fields. Her father worked for a company, a middle-man with a desk who left early, came home late and saw Nanao briefly on weekends. Her mother was a shopkeeper, who kept mostly the same hours as Nanao's father. Neither parent neither cooked nor took more than a cursory interest in Nanao's life. They were the same quiet, neglectful people they'd always been. Nanao had assumed long ago they'd always wanted a son and been disappointed. They'd only ever had her, for reasons she'd didn't dare ask.

Now, with the sand in the hourglass disappearing, Nanao was worrying herself thin. Inadvertently, she'd been skipping meals and instead sticking to her texts in an attempt to escape the problem. She'd been thinking of it constantly, she'd thought of speaking to a teacher, but was comfortable enough with none of them to ask. There had been several times when she'd thought to consult with her parents and Nanao knew how that would go. It was all so… hopeless.

With a sigh, Nanao sat herself on the stone bench in the courtyard.

Lunch hour.

It had never been her favorite time of day and now especially. Because one of her teachers had fallen unexpectedly ill the class had broke for lunch earlier than usual. She was alone under the graying skies. Far off, thunder cracked and Nanao turned her gaze skyward briefly. It didn't look like it was going to rain immediately but it would suit her mood just fine if it did.

"If it isn't Ise-san!"

The voice was sudden and when she looked up, found it unwelcome. Her indolent art teacher from last semester was strolling up from the front gates. Apparently he'd spotted her and actually remembered her name.

"Good afternoon, Kyouraku-sensei," she acknowledged quietly. She didn't expect him to stay so when he rolled up and sat down on the opposite end of the bench, he surprised her.

"You're almost through now, aren't you? Are you excited?" Far be it from him to be anything but conversational. His short hair fell in lazy waves around his face and he was as unshaven presently as he had been the last time she'd seen him. When he'd declared the whole class had passed with an "A". She'd hated him that day for lumping her in with stupidity.

"Not particularly."

He crossed one ankle over his knee and crossed his arms thoughtfully looking out over the courtyard. "You seem like the kind of girl bound to lifelong studies."

Nanao didn't disagree, it sounded like a perfectly fine way to spend life to her. Could one person ever really learn _too_ much? Impossible. Of course, that did beg the question of where to start. There was also the very real problem of financial backing – education was not free. She could get a scholarship, certainly, but what would she do with it? How would she afford to live as a life-long student?

"You're overthinking things again, Ise-san. Anyone ever tell you that you complicate life?"

The girl frowned. "Has anyone ever told you that you don't take things seriously enough?"

When he turned toward her, she saw out of the corner of her eye and she, instead of avoiding his gaze, looked too. Their eyes met and he smiled at her. "I may have heard it a time or two," he replied reasonably.

Again, Nanao chided herself silently. What was it about this man that made her wish to step outside her bounds and chastise him?

As if…

As if…

As if he were an equal of hers when he was _not_.

Uncomfortable with her assessment of the situation, she looked away from him stonily wishing that he would leave her alone.

"What's troubling you?"

He still had the same conversationalist tone. Apparently he wasn't going anywhere.

"I'm just thinking things over. Graduation is very soon."

"Too soon?" he pressed.

She wasn't sure if she felt pressured to answer or desperate to have someone help her that even talking him might be good enough. Maybe, at least, if someone was listening, if someone was taking an interest in her distress then maybe…

She sighed softly. "Much too soon. I don't know what to do."

"Few people do," he stretched beside her. "The only way forward is to get out there and experience things and find out what you like, what you want to do."

"And food and clothing and housing. I need a job." She bit her lip.

"You need a sedative," he laughed. "Ise-san, you will be fine. Enjoy your last days of school life. If an irresponsible person like me can manage to survive on my own, what can a person like you accomplish?"

Nanao frowned harder.

"Ise-san," he murmured softly and stood. "Don't think of it as being lost; think of it for what it is: freedom. With your grades, any sponsor will take you. With that, you can study anything you want, no longer are you bound to the limited areas of study in this school. There is no one in this school more ready for it than you. What you are is afraid, and there is no balm for that fear except to go out and do it."

Looking up she found he had retreated a pace or two away.

"Doesn't the next class start soon?" he asked idly.

Interesting of him to notice that. "Probably."

"As your teacher, I recommend you go to it then."

She stood up, crossed her arms self-consciously and nodded. "Thank you for talking to me." She retreated from him with quiet, measured steps, thinking.

And thinking.

And over-thinking.

He was probably right.

She couldn't believe she was giving him credit for something.

* * *

AN: This connects (if you care to know) to chapter 65: lesson, way back when he was her art teacher. Same universe. Poor Nanao, leaving the nest. I really like teacher Shunsui/student Nanao, but there's only so much you can do with this because of their age difference. Ugh. I don't want to make Shunsui a predator.


	77. Punishment

77 of 100: Punishment

* * *

There were four Captains in the room and the senior officer of the Kidou Corps. He was a man she had never seen before; perhaps he was a new replacement. Promotions in the Kidou Corps were not as widespread in news. The others, Unohana, Ukitake, Yamamoto, and Kyouraku, were all seated quietly.

"I have not found the situation to be as presented," Captain Unohana started. "After examining Ise Nanao thoroughly yesterday I found no key makings upon her skin."

"That is impossible," the Kidou Senior grumbled.

Nanao was curled up on her knees behind them, her standard uniform replaced with the white kosode of a prisoner. She kept her gaze to the floor and stayed very still while they discussed her case. She knew well why she'd been brought and she waited and prayed hard, doing everything short of crossing her fingers. All this – when all she'd wanted was to experience life a little more. Ridiculous.

"Ise-san."

Nanao was startled into awareness and her head snapped up. They were all watching her, their necks craned to peak at her.

Captain Unohana was the least intimidating, so Nanao focused on her. She couldn't look at her current Captain Ukitake. After all, what had she done but bring shame to him by behaving so recklessly? She couldn't look at her former Captain Kyouraku – he had tried to help her and what had she done but run away? As for Captain Yamamoto… she didn't even know what his motives were or where he stood.

"Could you disrobe for me, as we discussed earlier?"

Their discussion earlier was why Nanao's chest was wrapped so tight in linen bindings it ached when she breathed. It probably hadn't been necessary as she'd done it to herself, but it kept her focused. Or, it was supposed to.

Captain Unohana had fully prepared her for the possibility of proving the case, as she called it. Baring her skin before all four Captains would be incontrovertible proof of her innocence.

Quietly, she slid the white material open over her chest revealing the tight binding and then down over her shoulders. Nanao kept her eyes to the floor. Her pale white skin was smooth and unblemished.

"Isn't the evidence supposed to be some kind of disfigurement?" Captain Ukitake asked. "She looks quite unblemished to me."

"That is not possible-"The Kidou Senior began, only to be interrupted gently by Captain Unohana.

"I hope you are not suggesting that my exam results are incorrect. In addition, Ise-san has put up with the indignity of being asked to strip off her clothes to prove her innocence. I think this is conclusive evidence enough."

"Mmmm," Captain Yamamoto hummed. "Thank you for your cooperation, Ise-san. Vice-Captain Sasakibe will escort you out."

With as much dignity as she could muster, Nanao pulled her clothing back on and stumbled onto her feet, tucking her kosode tight beneath her sash so it covered her linen bindings once again. The Vice-Captain of the First Division was standing behind her and Nanao didn't attempt to evade him as he put a hand out and around one of her arms.

Just as Vice-Captain Sasakibe pulled the door open to let them out, a person appeared on the opposite side. Nanao's expression was carefully neutral as she met the eyes of the stoic scientist, Akon.

"Good afternoon, Ise-san."

His greeting was a quiet brush, the same soft rustle that was their sleeves touching as they passed by one another.

"Good afternoon," she repeated softly as the Vice-Captain led her out the door.

She heard voices rise as she left the chamber. One could only wonder what the Division Twelve officer had had in his hands in the manila envelope pressed to his chest.

_Evidence_, her mind whispered traitorously.

After all, who really knew where the loyalties of Akon rested. Division Twelve didn't even take care of its own that she was aware.

* * *

"Ise-san!"

She had been sequestered by herself in a guarded room not far from the meeting. Waiting anxiously she had restlessly paced the room before forcing herself to sit. Neither actions had done anything for her state of mind. Now, the door sliding open to admit her Captain, Nanao was disappointed to find the wrong one waiting for her, his light hair catching the light.

It was Captain Ukitake.

"We're done here. Let me escort you back." His expression was careful and his tone moreso. Vice-Captain Sasakibe had gone, the guards were missing and the hall was empty. She had, somewhow, expected to see Captain Unohana or Captain Kyouraku, but both were out of sight. It left her strangely disappointed.

Quietly, Captain Ukitake led her to the doorway and into the streets, still in her stark white kosode. She felt strangely naked in it. The walk would be a longer one than she desired and it looked like it would be had in quiet. She bit her tongue to prevent apologizing to him, he seemed inclined to silence.

"We will be returning to Division Thirteen now," he offered, relieving her of the stillness.

"I see. I'm sorry for all of this."

He glanced at her briefly and smiled gently. "The Kidou Corps saw an opportunity and tried to make the most of it, let's say. As it happens, you have some interesting allies."

Briefly, she wondered if he meant Akon and decided not to ask. He couldn't possibly know about Captain Unohana or Kyouraku-sama's involvement, could he? Not that quickly? She settled for silence.

"And then what?" she prompted.

He sighed. "Unfortunately, you did take a leave of absence from duty without permission and too many people became aware of that. The terms of your punishment were left to my discretion, but the regulations are fairly standard, as I'm sure you're aware."

She frowned. "You're putting me on unpaid suspension for three weeks?"

"It was my original intention, but I received a rather subtle direction that you are not to exert yourself with any kidou tasks for six weeks." They exchanged a quick glance. "Since you cannot lead any kidou classes safely, I will have you lead a hand-to-hand combat course. This course of action was also frowned upon, but I cannot have you sit by in idleness. Your return to Division Eight will not be expedited with you stowed away in detention – if I recall, you have a challenge fight ahead of you to prepare for. So think of it for what it is – endurance training."

Nanao nodded in agreement. What else could she do?

* * *

AN: The majority of this meeting takes place off-screen. There are mysteries here mysteriously unsolved, but I do have plans to answer them, I'm not just writing them off, so to speak. But writing out what I pictured as the Kidou Chief stuttering and objecting and the Captains hedging him just seemed boring to me.


	78. Fall

78 of 100: Fall

* * *

"Still drinking with my low-class brother, I'm disappointed in you, Ukitake."

The pair of men looked up toward the newly opened office doorway and the unannounced visitor. Shunsui eyed his elder brother quietly for a moment. "Back so soon?"

"Back?" Kiyoshi questioned. "When did I leave?"

The older brother invited himself to his younger brother's office table and sat, casually seating himself on the floor with his companions.

Ukitake smiled pleasantly, in genuine delight. "Kyouraku-sama, it's been quite a long time since I've seen you. You look to be in excellent health."

The older man nodded. "I cannot complain." Kiyoshi glanced toward his brother and then the other Captain. "Where is your little fledgling now?"

"Division-arrest. She is bound to the Division Thirteen grounds for three weeks without pay," Captain Ukitake answered. "I am a bit concerned; however, she is deeply fatigued. She hasn't complained and Kiyone and Sentaro are tripping over themselves to assist her but it does worry me a bit. I've never seen her in such a state."

"You're overworking her?" Shunsui raised a brow.

Ukitake leaned forward and his brow knit in concentration. "It's barely been twenty-four hours since her return; perhaps the stress of it is simply catching up with her. Kiyone reported that she actually fell asleep sitting up in the mess hall at dinner last night."

"Hm. Shunsui, have you been up to Fox Springs?" Kiyoshi asked.

The other two men blinked at the abrupt change of topic. "It's been a long time," the younger brother answered.

"It has a little library, usually not worth mentioning, but I have a few interesting texts in there. I was reading up a few weeks ago. But some of them are so dreadfully boring it takes a great deal of endurance to get through it."

Both men frowned.

* * *

Nanao shuddered in disgust. Her uniform was clinging in ways that were particularly uncomfortable. Sweating was so _base._ She hadn't exerted herself in such a manner in… ugh, how many years had it been? She was so used to the elegant, sweat-free kidou. She sighed softly.

"You flaming sack of rat shit, get off the field, you suck!"

Nanao ground her teeth. If Kiyone didn't go _away_ she was going to kidou her behind into the street, personal harm to herself or no.

Nanao's opponent, Nomura, was stocky and moved a bit slow but he was powerful. It was only her second day and Nanao was rapidly feeling she was out of her element. The day before she'd supervised. Today, somehow, she'd gotten involved and she was _hurting._

"Kick him in the nuts!"

Nanao scowled and turned to chastise her enthusiastic audience only to find herself plucked off the ground by her watchful opponent. She held in a shriek as she was hauled up onto his shoulder and fearful for one terrible moment that he was going to slam her onto the ground. Instead, a voice called out, interrupting the match.

"Punch him, punch him!"

Nanao couldn't see the diminutive blonde woman from where she was perched on the other man's shoulder but she was certainly announced.

"Grab his hair? Poke him in the eye!"

Nomura, absent-minded, reached up to scratch his temple and Nanao found herself unexpectedly dumped onto the ground in absentmindedness.

"Hmm? Oh, sorry, Ise-san didn't mean to drop you."

Nanao groaned silently. She wasn't sure what was worse, Nomura trying to _wrestle_ her or herself for thinking she could handle trying to teach hand-to-hand combat.

* * *

The woman bit her lip as she shuffled papers on the desk. Nanao was convinced the lady was purposely not looking at her. Was she nervous? Patiently, Nanao waited. Her shoulders hurt from being dropped and she was tired. Her eyes ached; it was that dull incessant throbbing that said she'd been awake too long.

"I asked you in here because, well, I'm a little worried."

Kiyone took that moment to glance up and Nanao wasn't sure what to say. She'd outranked Kiyone for a good fifty years; perhaps that was contributing to her discomfort.

"Captain Ukitake is also worried. Of course, you've just recently returned to active duty here with us and this isn't the kind of thing you're used to doing so…" Kiyone risked a glance up from her desk and took a great breath. "I'm removing you from duty."

Nanao blinked and said nothing for a moment and silence fell over the room. "Captain Ukitake ordered me out of teaching?"

The other woman shook her head quickly. "Captain Ukitake fell ill yesterday afternoon and he's retired to his residence leaving Sentaro and I in charge, but you're not yourself and you've deteriorated in the last forty-eight hours and I'm worried that's becoming more noticeable."

Nanao swallowed dryly.

"Tomorrow morning I'll need you to report to the Division Thirteen record office. The official story is that you've been pulled from teaching because of an administrative emergency in Records, so… and they really _do_ need you so…"

Nanao nodded obediently. "Does Records open at seven?"

"Yes, but only if the secretaries are there, sometimes they stop for tea in the mornings, you can just come at eight, that's okay."

"I understand."

* * *

A long shadow solidified into a person behind Kiyone. "Did you talk to Captain Ukitake?"

"Not yet," Kiyone answered standing, a taut frown on her lips. Nanao had quietly retreated from the office only moments past with no further question and no argument.

Sentaro, leaning back against the wall was pensive. "If she figures out you created that 'emergency' in Records, you'll probably get your ass kicked."

Kiyone glared and swung around. "What am I supposed to do with her? Captain Ukitake wants her to get out and work for her re-challenge, but Captain Unohana warned me about overexertion. She sent me a note yesterday to tell me and then late last night my sister repeated the warning almost word for word. Ise-san is under performing at least forty percent. Whatever is going on with her, running around on the training field is _not_ helping."

"Well, I guess we'll see."

* * *

AN: I haven't abandoned it, I've just been lazy (basically.) It's Christmas Eve 2009! I've started 79. I've really missed Kiyone and Sentaro, they are so much fun!


	79. Pierce

79 of 100: Pierce

* * *

Sweat rolled down her temple, gliding over the curve of her cheek, perilously clinging to the edge of her jaw. Nanao dry swallowed and lowered her blade. Her sword technique remained weak, no matter her concentration. It would be easy, so easy; to blame her under-performance on her current physical weakness but it couldn't be done. Honesty was ingrained in her like a piece of her soul.

The tip of her zanpakuto rested on the training mat, puncturing the foamy surface. It wasn't the first such blemish to the flooring and it wouldn't be the last. Leaning her weight on the opposite hip she tried to still her panting.

Captain Unohana had warned her about overtaxing herself. She had escaped punishment by the administration by mere inches and her ability to hold onto the kidou technique hiding her scarring was imperative for a few more days. For her to re-challenge Honda before her scarring had healed would be exceedingly dangerous. The wounds, the nasty tracks in her skin that had swollen up like braided knots had largely faded into faint pink lines. Though mostly gone, they were strange appearing and exceedingly obvious to casual observers. It wouldn't do for her to slip just yet and draw anyone's attention. Time was rapidly flying away.

Maybe a week left, but little more.

With a sigh, she raised her sword hand again and began her practice anew. The "emergency" in the record problem had certainly been news to the Records staff. They had greeted her appointment there with wide-eyed confusion and then sat her at a desk where she'd filed three things all day long.

She couldn't even say she was frustrated with the whole business. The Records staff, as the rest she had met, were all cordial people. It was glaringly apparent, however, the Sentaro and Kiyone were highly organized people and that the Records staff didn't manage the kind of crisis that Nanao had been subject to every other week as Vice-Captain of Eight. In the end, maybe she should just take the break as it was being given to her.

Problem was, Nanao always coped poorly with idleness. It was in those long moments of daylight with boredom weighing heavily on her mind that she had sent a courier to retrieve certain documentation. The completed paperwork for her challenge of Division eight was tucked into the top drawer of her temporary desk.

Question was, would she have the patience to wait until the end of the week to file it with them? Or would her boredom do her in?

* * *

The backwoods country always made him feel small. Peering around, Akon admired the pine trees with quiet eyes. If nothing else it certainly looked appropriate to being Kyouraku property, with its serene gardens. Quietly, he ducked into the deep foliage of the woods that bordered the back property avoiding the eyes of the servant feeding the fish on the bridge.

In his palm, the cool metal of the tracking meter blinked steadily and silently. The trip had been longer than he expected which meant his device was slightly off in measuring distances. He would really need to make a few changes to the map system.

Ducking beneath a low branch, he continued on, following a trail that wasn't a path and looking around. If the meter's sensitive wasn't quite right it may take a laboratory adjustment to the device before he could properly locate the bracelet. It had been very obviously not on her person when she'd come back. He wondered now, as he had then, if it would've been possible for her to evade the Second Division spies and for how long.

They had tracked her to the Kyouraku property, certainly, but not because they had sensed her there. No, he didn't believe his device was faulty in the least. That the Kyouraku family was hiding a fugitive was altogether much too likely to be ignored.

The ground beneath was hard and brown, scattered with pine needles. The scent was irritating. He would be pleased to remove himself back to the lab. Where had she discarded the bracelet? Surely, she hadn't tossed it away on a whim?

Just as he was lowering his eyes to the screen once more, he caught sight of a sparkle on a nearby branch.

Ah…

* * *

"Er, Captain…" The young man shifted his weight from one foot to another awkwardly as he eyed his superior officer.

Captain Kyouraku's eyes were directed at the desk absently as he stared at piles of paper.

Vice-Captain Honda eyed the Captain's desk with unease. Surely, his Captain didn't mean for him to-

"It's in here somewhere," the Captain murmured softly flicking through scraps of paper that were less of a pile and more of a hill of paper.

"Do you need me to find something in particular?" Honda inquired as he glanced at the writing catching a word here and there.

"Nanao-chan's eyes," the Captain answered, shifting more paper and then sighing. "It was a lovely work, I had planned to take it to her tonight to cheer her up. " He sat straighter and then pointed to the desktop. "Find it for me."

"Sir-"

"I need to go get the sake," he interrupted. "They sold out of my favorite gold brand yesterday before I got over the shop. I'll be back before midnight."

Midnight? Office hours ended at six.

With a blink, the Captain was gone and Vice-Captain Honda looked back at the desk and the mess he was supposed to be organizing. With a sigh, he sat and reached for the first item on the stack. Not even a sheet of paper.

It was a napkin. Reading over a few lines, he blushed. It appeared to be a poem on a woman's breasts. Honda quickly set it aside. There had even been an illustration.

* * *

AN: I can't believe I still have twenty chapters to go. Happy New Year.


	80. Common

80 of 100: Common

* * *

Lunch break had brought her an hour of free time. The mid-day meal time was typically thirty minutes to do whatever one liked but with so little to be done, they had been generous and given her the whole hour. Instead of arguing, Nanao had quietly agreed and left the office. The women of Records were pleasant if not annoying. It was standard office and that grated her on nerves. Too much talk of gossip and too little to do. It wasn't interesting to her what was going on in the personal lives of her colleagues, most certainly not when one spent time with those who were just as apt to gossip about _her_ the second she was out the door.

Anxious in the presence of her new staff, or perhaps in correction, the staff she was a part of, she had tucked away her challenge papers in a sealed envelope in her desk. It seemed all too likely the nosy ladies would discover the papers, not necessarily on purpose, but accidents were too likely an excuse. Maybe she was paranoid about how much free time the Records staff had.

Now, presently, the streets of Soul Society were all too narrow and empty. Empty was suitable as she hardly wanted for company, she'd had plenty of it for the day in the few morning hours in the Records office. But something to stimulate her mind wouldn't be unwelcome.

Now as she traversed sparse, walled roads she knew the path would take her by the main entrance of Division Eight. It wasn't a purposeful trip and it wasn't by accident. Boredom always sat poorly on her. With no reason to forgo the visit, she turned off the pathway and made her way through the open gates. Her untimely appearance interrupted a game of tag and the wayward group of soldiers skidded to a stop so quickly they toppled over themselves falling into a dark heap on the stone pathway. Nanao spared them a glance and walked ahead without a word and, behind her; she heard them collecting themselves off the ground.

The interior of the office surprised her as, when she stepped inside, she was treated to the cloying scent of … sweetness. She wrinkled her nose.

"Good afternoon, Ise-san."

Nanao looked away from the spray of flowers adorning a tabletop to her right and instead direcrted her gaze to the staff of secretaries. Three of them. They were all bearing smiles.

"Is the Captain in?" she inquired softly.

_"He isn't."_

_"He comes in later and later each day."_

_"Some days he doesn't come in at all." _

The trio regarded her with interest, as if they expected her to do something about his tardiness. Nanao frowned. "Is Vice-Captain Honda in then?"

_"He is, yes."_

_"He's in his office."_

_"Or, your office."_

_"He was here quite late last night."_

_"Captain Kyouraku had him sorting poetry."_

Nanao waved her hand to interrupt the flow of answers from the young women. She hoped they didn't keep up the habit of answering in such a manner. "If you'll excuse me." She left before they could answer her.

She found the young man without difficulty. She knew her own office well. The door was open and she knocked upon the frame as she regarded his hunched frame. He was concentrating quite hard.

"Excuse me?"

He jumped as his eyes flew up. "I-Ise-san!"

"You look quite busy."

"Er, just some minor filing." He quickly snapped the book shut.

"Do you know when Captain Kyouraku will be in the office today?"

He scratched behind one ear looking like a nervous first-year recruit. "He has an erratic schedule."

"I see," she nodded curtly. "Thank you."

Turning, she intended to find her way back out and perhaps, even, to lunch.

"I-Ise-san? A quick question, if you don't mind."

Quietly, she turned back and hovered there in the doorway of her own office. "How can I assist you?"

"Captain Kyouraku mentioned something about a book that he keeps his poetry in? I was unable to locate such a volume."

"It is not within the job description of the Vice-Captain of any office to assist the Captain with their amateur poetry career. Any such scraps placed in my possession were thrown away and he was told quite clearly about it numerous times. I cannot help you."

Nanao wasn't sure whether to be amused at the look on his face or irritated.

* * *

"Precious one!"

The door clattered open loudly and a pink-clothed menace crowded the narrow doorframe dramatically.

The women in the Thirteenth Division Records department dropped their jaws. Nanao looked up from her book, a quick find at a store on her way back to the office, with a frown. It was almost five thirty in the evening; he was probably just waking up for the day. She took careful note of him as he sauntered toward her, his brown eyes trained on her face. He was neat, his face clipped but not shaved.

"The boys told me you came to visit me today. Missed me, did you?" he leaned over her little desk with a leer.

"Actually, I was bored and stopped by. I wasn't really looking for you."

He wasn't the least put off by such an answer and sat himself down in front of her looking comfortable enough in the narrow room with three women. Four if Nanao counted herself, but she didn't. he stretched his legs on the floor and relaxed with a sigh.

"Why do you have him sorting through your poetry?" she couldn't help but ask.

He regarded her quietly a moment, his eyes intense and assessing as if he were wondering the answer to a deeper question. Then he smiled, a sappy, quietly amused thing. "Because little Honda doesn't know how to tell me no."

Nanao scoffed. "Would you even let him refuse?"

His smile only widened. "Where's the fun in that?"

"And I suppose, at this point, its pointless to point out that your job isn't about fun."

"Completely, of course."

She nodded. "Just as long as we're clear on that."

He made an open motion with one hand. "What's this?"

"This is the Records room."

"Records?" he asked. "Administrative work?"

"Secretarial mostly," Nanao corrected and he quirked an eyebrow.

His eyes dropped to her book. "I see you're busy." He was grinning at her again.

"Terribly. I think you should leave before you interrupt anything even more important."

"Nanao- you realize that your return to Division Eight-"

Glaring, she looked up and interrupted quickly. "Must be preceded by an absurd transfer request notice that you modified without telling me and there's also attached a questionnaire that asks completely inappropriate questions? Not even mentioning the fact you now have an essay based form for all challengers to complete before they challenge the Vice-Captain?" her voice was terse. "It's a wonder you haven't been fired."

"My sweet, how I have missed you."

"And I assure you I intend to fix this little oversight when I return to my office. Would you like to tell me what bearing a woman's breast size has to do with her potential job capabilities?"

"Nanao-chan, my muse-"

"Not an appropriate answer, Captain," she curtly interrupted.

He gave her an absent shrug. "Have you completed yours yet?"

"I have no intention of submitting that monstrosity."

"Proper procedure states-"

Opening the drawer of her desk, she took out the envelope and threw it at him. it landed against his chest and caught on the edge of his uniform.

"Get out."

He stood quietly. "What day will you be coming?"

Nanao thought a moment, regarding the office surrounding her and then the man looming over her desk waiting for an answer. "Monday of next week will suit."

"You're sure?"

She nodded.

* * *

AN: I'm feeling very rusty with this pairing.


	81. Straight

81 of 100: Straight (path)  


* * *

The metal was cool against her cheek. She sighed softly, her eyes fanning closed as she considered. The hours were rapidly flying away. There were barely twenty four left of freedom before, if she was successful, she would be bound to authority once more.

She would again be the _responsible_ party.

It made her wonder. It made her anxious. She and her sword had never been the closest of allies and to release its shikai was a commitment to fight. Her sword, in truth, was a commitment to _death_ and it was not the goal of her match the following afternoon for anyone to die. Cradling her weapon in her hands, the metal against her face, the blade against her palm, she slowly lowered it and stared at her reflection in the polished edges.

Part of her desperately wished to wield her blade and part of her knew just how inappropriate it was to do so. A sword was made for killing. Despite the many, many hours she had logged _teaching _in Division Eight, she knew she would again baffle her colleagues and students by her decision _not_ to use it. Nanao wasn't even sure her Captain knew how she felt about her sword.

A bigger question remained. What would she do with Honda post-success? There were other things she hadn't considered. What would remain of her office? What of her paperwork and the systems she'd had in place? What had happened to the kidou classes she had taught? Had someone taken them over or had they disbanded? What about the budge of Division Eight, the task she usually regarded with far more seriousness than anything else. What would she do if Honda had run her office into the red zone?

"Am I interrupting a private moment?"

The sedate voice made Nanao look up, though she didn't shift. Her sword remained balanced on her palms. Meditation was what she'd been attempting, a bond with her weapon of sorts, a way to clear her mind. She had largely failed.

In the open field behind Division Thirteen, Nanao had hidden herself, or thought she had, in the darkness. A breeze was ruffling across the dying grass and her butt was cold but she had still been trying. The building had been too busy, too loud for her to concentrate.

The unexpected presence of a Division Twelve scientist surprised her. "Akon," she acknowledged softly before reaching to her right for her sheathe. The weapon was placed beside her on the ground, discarded for the moment.

"I was able to locate your gift." He was standing rather stoically, his arms crossed, his expression bland. Akon had always been a stiff person.

"I apologize for not properly returning it to you. With my capture looming, it seemed unwise to be found in possession of such finery."

He nodded. "As far as I can tell, it functioned as expected, but I am not privy to the secret techniques of the Second Division."

If he was offering an excuse for the ease they'd had in finding her, she wasn't sure. It wasn't his fault. She couldn't have hidden forever and she was pleased to no longer be a fugitive. "I expect it was less secret technique and more common sense. "

One of the first places to be ruled out had to be the Kyouraku family as Nanao had no family of her own. It was interesting, then, that she hadn't thought to flee to the Rukongai to hide amongst the sheer _number_ there though she doubted it would've been anymore effective.

"Thank you for your help. I couldn't have asked for anything else."

He inclined his head. "I have heard rumors that you are returning to your Captain."

Nanao turned away to hide her face. And her soft, pleased smile.

There, of course, was _that_ also.

* * *

On the broad, flat rooftop of Division Thirteen two men sat a bottle of liquor between them mostly empty.

"Her concentration is poor," Shunsui noted, eyeing the woman over his cup. They could barely see her dark silhouette in the field far below.

"Unexpectedly harsh of you, my friend. She has much on her mind tonight," Jyuushiro offered.

"She won't win by being distracted. "

"I am rather surprised to see her zanpakuto. So rarely does she display it."

Shunsui hummed in agreement. "I am not certain, but I think Nanao may not like swords."

"Ah. An unfortunate position to have. Perhaps she has had a poor experience?"

Shunsui leaned back, pressing his palms to the grit of the tile to support his weight. "She was taken from the Rukongai because she was too powerful to remain there, and she has been in my Division since her early graduation. If you recall, Nanao was a child when she came to me, hiding beneath Lisa's wings."

"You don't get many children that graduate from the Academy so young. You've sheltered her."

The Eighth Division Captain frowned. "What do you do with a child who is forced into an adult world with adult expectations but teach that child and protect her?"

"She hasn't been a child in a long time."

Shunsui more than agreed. "I think it may be she views her use of her zanpakuto as a sign of her willingness to kill, so rarely does it happen."

"I recall you telling me of her and the ryoka that attacked Eight?"

"That young man was in no condition to take on Nanao and she is a creature of practicality. She could've killed him far quicker with kidou. She finds herself perilously slow with her sword."

The silence that descended between them was that of easy friends. Together, they watched the scientist Akon leave the field and the young woman alone again.

"He certainly gets around nowadays," Jyuushiro commented idly.

Shunsui sighed loudly. "Tomorrow, my friend, my life starts anew."

Jyuushiro eyed the other man quietly. "Have you ever simply told her that you love her?"

Turning his head to regard Jyuushiro, Shunsui couldn't help the frown. "I tell her everyday."

* * *

AN: I was peeking around at former chapters. Can you believe Nanao left Division 8 at chapter twenty-something? I can't believe it. Where has the time gone?


	82. Homemade

82 of 100: Homemade

* * *

The outer office was empty when Nanao arrived. The secretarial desks were abandoned, though a three-flower spray of white daisies were sitting on the desk cheerily. The front door, she noted as she slid it closed behind her, had been dutifully replaced. Taking a breath, she attempted to steady her heartbeat as she turned toward the corridor that would lead her to the outer back courtyard. Her footsteps were heavy, she felt weighted.

The outer doors at the end of the corridor were open and she could already see the dark clothed bodies of her fellow shinigami. A soft sigh escaped her parted lips and she edged on further, pushing herself over the threshold and into view.

Today she was challenger instead of defender. She didn't like the feeling it gave her. She hadn't been this unenthusiastic since the first time. Way back then her Captain had pushed her into trying for a position and she hadn't wanted it. Now… now it was a matter of pride.

The quiet chatter that had been humming around the squared arena that was the courtyard outback quieted as people took notice of her. Vice-Captain Honda was perched on the edge of the arena, his back to her. She recognized his slick hair immediately.

"Captain Kyouraku isn't here yet?" she asked the open crowd.

"Ise-san!"

Three distinct voices chirped her name and bounced up to her. Nanao immediately recognized the secretaries and the fact that one of them was missing. Or, was she wrong in thinking there had been four secretaries?

"Captain Kyouraku has not arrived yet today."

"We expect him presently."

"Oh," Nanao answered. It left her feeling distinctly awkward. She hadn't anticipated being early. Taking a moment, she looked around at the crowd. There were what appeared to be guards on all sides of the audience. Or, she thought they were guards until she listened and realized they were taking bets. Her jaw tightened and she glared just as a heavy hand clapped down on her shoulder.

"Nanao-chan is here!" her Captain sang into the air, appearing beside her. "Let's start the party!"

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, she stayed still instead of ducking out from beneath his hand as she was tempted to do.

Only, her Captain hadn't come alone. "Good luck, Ise-san!"

Captain Ukitake had come along also. And with him his two boisterous third-seats. Both were bearing headbands and little flags with her name on them.

"Go Ise-san!"

"Kick some ass!"

"Right on!"

"Thank you for coming," was all that Nanao could think to say as they sat beside their Captain and immediately set into an argument over who wanted her to win more fervently. In a way, it warmed her to see them.

The hand on her shoulder tightened momentarily and she looked up to see him staring down at her beneath his wide-brimmed hat. "Are you ready?"

She nodded sedately.

He motioned her forward and Nanao stepped down from beneath his hand and out onto the field taking a position in the open center. The grass beneath her feet was yellowed and withering. Why she was noticing such unimportant things shouldn't have bothered her.

"Today," Captain Kyouraku called out over the hushed crowd. "Ise Nanao is challenging for the seat of Vice-Captain. First blood will win the match."

Vice-Captain Honda stood and wandered out onto the field with his head high and shoulders back. Nanao eyed him quietly and bowed respectively when introduced. When the fight was announced, Honda sprang at her.

"Bakudo no hachi," she murmured. "Seki*."

The thin cast kidou shield sent Honda stumbling backward over himself in a cloud of dust even as her shield exploded upon impact into a rain of tiny blue sparks. Reaching quickly, Nanao slid her blade from beneath her sleeve.

Honda was already on his feet and a quick downward slice of her blade sent his red cannon kidou blaze veering away from her.

She dashed. "Bakudo no ichi – sai*!"

Honda froze, caught in the binding spell as Nanao skid to a stop, pulling her blade up horizontally, one hand around the handle, the other around the blade; she felt the fine edge of it against her palm. Spreading her feet shoulder width apart she took a breath.

"Spirits of heaven, bind this space to my hand." Turning her body, Nanao adjusted the handle in her palm, tensed her muscles and then let her sword spring from her grip like a torpedo at the bound man.

Honda howled and twisted in his bindings, evading the blade as it whirled past his neck avoiding the skin just as he broke the binding. Her quiet murmur, "return" was unheard as he attacked again this time bringing down his sword across her in a wide arc, narrowly blocked as her sword reappeared in her hands.

Bearing down on her, his sword blade heavy against her, Nanao was losing. "Gates of fire, carve the boundaries of the house of orange spirits."

A ribbon of fire, like a small, winding snake rose up from her hands as she struggled, curling and winding its way up. Honda grimaced and leapt back as the fire snaked exploded into a storm of light sending both combatants reeling backward.

When the smoke cleared, Honda was panting but not bleeding. Nanao stared at her sword and its orange glow for a long moment.

* * *

The girl beside him was bouncy on the balls of her feet. Up and down. Uneasily. Excitedly. He wasn't sure. A quick glance up showed her face was tense with anxiety. Her hands, like the rest of her, were taut with unease.

"A little out of your way today, isn't it?" he asked her.

The girl's gaze dropped from the field to land on the Division Captain's face briefly before her attention was captured by the field action once more. A small, unsure smile formed on the girl's face before it spread into a full, happy grin. "She's been having a rough time and I feel like I've missed all of it. That makes me a very bad friend, I think, Captain Kyouraku. So I wanted to be here today for her, to support her. "

Hinamori Momo was a girl he didn't understand. Her friendship with Nanao he understood even less.

"Do it!" Hinamori shouted, unexpectedly, surprising the lazy Captain. "Go for it, complete the set!"

Shunsui turned back to the field. He saw Nanao's lips move. He saw Honda pale at the incantation he couldn't hear from so far away. A soft murmur of sound from the girl didn't distract him as Nanao's orange glowing sword was lowered in a quick slash that caused explosion of sound. Hot wind exploded in a circular torrent and the audience recoiled, hiding their faces with hands and sleeve. Eyes watered and cheeks burned as the torrent rained outward. When the heat settled, Nanao was standing, her sword tip toward the ground, and bleeding orange like a stream of liquid fire. Sparks rose from the deadly puddle like fire sprites into the air and popped, little cracks of sound.

In the center of the field, Honda was frozen, suspended in a golden tower that reached skyward, impaled with glowing orange swords. Faint, crossing blue lines intersected the structure at its base, around the shinigami. Another glance up showed Hinamori, her index fingers and triangles pressed into a triangle shape, glowing soft blue. Little rivulets of red curved down tanned skin at each contact point.

"I think I might've broken the rules," she murmured softly, looking down at the Captain. "But that kidou can't be performed yet without killing the subject and she wouldn't have used it without me here to stop it."

Captain Kyouraku drummed his fingertips against the back of his opposite hand. "What is it?"

"House of the Orange Spirits. It's Nanao's. Three parts, highly destructive, very useful but so far difficult to control and has to be used in conjunction with a zanpakuto." Hinamori smiled. "What do you think we do in our spare time, Captain, _read?_

* * *

AN: I hope Nanao's sword is kidou based. I won't be naming it or giving it any abilities in this story for obvious reasons.


	83. Rest

83 of 100: Rest

* * *

The post-fight party was riotous. Nanao, the star of honor, looked grim even as her shy friend beside her was soaking up the liquor. Hinamori erupted into a series of giggles and Nanao stood. She'd had quite enough. It was almost seven in the evening and it was glaringly apparently she wouldn't be getting anything back into proper order until the next morning. She'd hoped it would go differently, but her hopes were now dashed.

Really, she should've known better.

Retreating quietly toward the door she was intercepted by her Captain who hastily threw an arm around her narrow shoulders.

"Three cheers for the return of your Vice-Captain!"

The room erupted in off-timed cheering and Nanao grimaced. When the cheering slowed, Nanao interrupted. "Enjoy yourselves because tomorrow you're going to be cleaning up this disgusting mess."

To her surprise, the room just cheered her on again. She rolled her eyes and turned, twisting out from beneath his arm. "Goodnight, Captain."

He didn't try to stop her.

* * *

The moon was full and low in the night sky. In her bedroom, Nanao sat on the floor wrapped in loose, black silk, the gown was long, modest but soft and its over-robe tied at her waist. The weight of her glasses on the bridge of her nose had been too much and they had been discarded to the sill where they gleamed in the low light. Running a hand through her loose, unbound hair she sighed disappointed. Nothing had gone the way she wanted. Her plans had all fallen through at the last moment and quick decisions had been implanted on the fly. It was not her way to improvise without good reasoning and she'd had none this morning save for the urgent whisper she'd felt along her wrist.

It had been the will of her sword that had driven her to change tactics, something she had never done before and something she was not sure she'd be wise to do again without imminent danger threatening her. Some things were too dangerous for casual use. Her sword did not understand _temperance._

Leaning, she pressed her shoulder to the wall and stared at her tiny garden. There was much work to be done in the springtime to return it to its glory. The space was tiny and homely but it was peaceful and a pleasant area to read in the warmer evenings of the summer.

"You're over-analyzing."

She heard his voice before she heard the door or his footsteps. All were soft and quiet but his voice was a powerful hum in the air. It made her shiver and she crossed her arms in response to it. he sat himself without invitation on the floor adjacent to her and she kept looking out the window.

"It should have gone differently."

He ignored that. "Tell me about your kidou work."

"It was a hobby. An experiment of sorts that got out of hand. We didn't set out to create new kidou spells, certainly nothing like that."

"It was very impressive."

"Very dangerous would be a more suitable description. I made a bad decision to use it. If Hinamori had not come, it would have ended badly for either Honda or myself. I should've known better."

"Known better?"

"I should've known better than to listen to her," she answered glancing up toward his face and then toward her sword that was some feet away beside her bed. "They tell you in the academy that your sword knows your heart and that it calls to its owner. I think that what came to me says ugly things about the person I am."

He extended a hand toward her. His questing fingertips slid into her hair and up her nape, curling into her scalp at the base of her neck. "I cannot know what your sword wants of you, but I could guess you try to suppress it in your quest to control it. Forcefully restraining that partially sentient piece of yourself will make it moody and difficult to handle."

She turned toward him. "You think I should let my maniac sword loose in battle more often?"

His smile was lopsided. "I will let her play with Katen Kyoukotsu if you want." He leaned close. "But she likes to play dangerous games." A soft, lingering kiss to her cheek made Nanao's eyes fan closed. She breathed softly and leaned her head back against the wall.

"It's almost midnight. I expect you at work tomorrow."

Seeming to recognize the dismissal for was it was, he quietly withdrew but paused to regard her at the doorway. "I'll probably be a little late."

Nanao's heart was very light.

* * *

AN: Mmmm. Count down to 100.


	84. Work

84 of 100: Work

* * *

The first indication that anything was amiss early that morning was a tiny pink paper rectangle attached to the front door. It was dreary outside, a low fog clinging to her ankles, a chilly mist in the air. She could see the note, which was what it looked like, from the main gateway on her way in. If her footsteps were quicker in curiosity to read it, it wasn't on purpose.

Upon approaching she found the text quite clear: _"This is not a playground. Please refrain from slamming the door."_ Nanao could hardly deny that the note-writer had hit upon a truth. In the evenings some of the staff _did_ slam the door. Pulling it off Nanao crumbled it in her hand as she headed inside to reclaim her office space, hoping it wasn't in disrepair or disarray. It had been quite a while since she'd left it.

The front door was still locked, indicating that she was the first to arrive. Inside, by chance, she spotted another note on the secretarial counter to her left; it was also pink. The four secretaries who worked there wouldn't arrive for another hour but curiosity drew her over. The note on the front door had obviously been intended for a general audience. Was the one on the counter directed toward the secretaries?

_"Ladies, discussing the positive and negative traits of our staff members, male and female, is not conductive to a good work environment. Please tone down the hormones." _

Alone, Nanao found herself smiling. The four of them _were_ gossip hounds if nothing else. Leaving that one firmly in place on the desk she headed for her office still clutching the note from the front door but took a slight detour instead for the kitchenette. Her morning coffee wasn't going to make itself and she didn't want to wait for anyone else. There was also the possibility that her beloved coffee was out of stock, given that she'd been out of the office for so long. Unless someone had been paying attention to her shopping habits, Nanao had a bad feeling about her morning coffee.

The kitchenette proved to be more than part of her daily routine as more sticky notes greeted her. The cabinets where her coffee was stocked read plainly: _"Cookie bandit on the loose! If I find you, I will hack off your arms!" _

The coffee tin, a tight fitting container suitably labeled, was filled with a teaspoon of beans. There wasn't even a cup of coffee left in the tin. Sighing, she checked another cabinet looking for tea.

Whilst measuring water into the kettle she was unable to keep her eyes off the sticky on the little refrigerator. _"If there's no name and no date, I'm throwing it away!"_

Another, to the right of the first was also bitter in tone. _"There is no magic restocking fairy! All food & drink in this refrigerator provided by the Division comes out of our budget! Stop being pigs!" _

Setting the kettle onto the stove, she turned toward the sink to wash off her hands. Another note was to the right of it. _"Your mother doesn't work here! Keep the sink clean!" _

Someone had been busy and she couldn't say she didn't enjoy it; she just hoped no one thought the note-writer was her. It wasn't her style to pepper the office space with notes. It was too much of a general mess. They would inevitably fall onto the floor and she would be the one picking them up, she was certain of it.

After she had her substitute tea, she headed for her office. Along the way she passed the supply room with its sticky note. _"Please do not steal pens, paper, scissors, paper clips, or any time or miscellaneous materials from my desk. Or I'll kill you."_

Nanao wasn't sure what the note-writer meant by _stealing_ unless she supposed things were being taken without being signed out and accounted for which was all too likely. She made a mental note to inventory the room later to see just how bad of shape it was in.

A floating sticky in the hall, this one green in color made her pass right by her office to read it_. "No whining. In this building. Anywhere."_

Someone had been busy. Or had this been part of a party game from the night before? She took a moment to stop by her Captain's office. It was clean with no towering stacks of paper and no unruly liquor bottles. It smelled faintly of incense and there was a narrow vase of flowers on the desk.

Behind the vase, almost hidden by the angle was another note. "_Clothing is NOT optional."_

Lingering a moment, Nanao wondered how long it would take him to drag himself into the office. Then she wondered about Honda and how he'd fared at Division Four the previous evening. His injuries should've been minor with Hinamori's interference. Without it, the swords would've impaled him from every direction, much like the Six Rod Prison of Light kidou.

Maybe if she experimented with less dangerous things she wouldn't come to the attention of people who wanted to interrupt her life. Sipping her coffee, she turned on her heel. It was probably time to face the music and see what had become of her once cherished office. She retreated to her space, sliding open the door and stepping in quietly.

* * *

"Vice Captain Ise?"

Nanao looked up from her ledger, pencil in hand, to find one of the staffers anxiously fidgeting. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry to be bothering you so early back into your stay with us but well, we've been encountering these little notes?"

"We?" Nanao inquired, glancing behind the young woman only to see that she appeared there alone.

"Well, we drew straws," she admitted. "I got the short one so I got to come up here."

Was she such a terror to the staff that they didn't want to talk to her?

"I see. What notes?"

"We found a bunch of them. We thought we should let you know." The girl wandered in, sword at her waist, hair twisted around her head. She was not an officer. Nanao couldn't remember her name.

"This one was in Enjoji's office. He was very offended." The girl handed over the note, apparently intent upon explaining each one. _I don't mind you talking as long as you're not talking to me._

Enjoji could be a little long winded and a little condescending and more than a little annoying. Well, the notes were obviously being written by someone who worked in Division Eight then. That certainly narrowed it down, she thought sourly.

"Um, then this one was given to me by the secretaries up front. They seemed a little offended too actually." _The trash doesn't take itself out, don't be lazy._

Maybe there was a problem with the trash as there was with the gossiping, Nanao wasn't sure.

"This one was in the main hall of the barracks." _Do not touch the thermostat. Ever._

The war of the thermostat continued, apparently. It wasn't a new issue and Nanao had heard the complaints before. But until she got a maintenance crew to put a lock box over the thermostat the war would carry on. Maybe she'd pop it onto a to-do list.

"This one was in the ladies bathroom just upstairs." _If you have time to complain about the cleanliness of this bathroom, clean it yourself._

Good thought. Nanao considered having it framed and hung up in the upstairs bathroom. Some women were slobs. Seriously.

"This was the last one. We haven't found any more yet but we're certain that they were't here yesterday so, whoever it was must've run out of time eventually." _The combat rooms are not for make-out sessions. You know who you are._

Who was making out in the combat rooms?

"Thank you for bringing this to my attention."

"Um, yes, no problem. Welcome back, Vice-Captain Ise."

Nanao waved her away and stared at the pile of stickies with a frown and came to the conclusion she worked with a bunch of idiots.

* * *

AN: I've been working on this, can you tell? I'm doing 85 presently, but its a break from the current storyline because I have no idea where its going. I need to have a meeting with myself because my outline for the story has, well, ended.


	85. Fever

85 of 100: Fever

* * *

Nanao regarded her office space and concentrated. It had all the ambiance of _home._ The easy weight of familiarity settled over her shoulders. Everything had been returned to its proper order within her personal space. Former Vice-Captain turned subordinate, Honda, had been banished to the anonymous ranks of Division Four. She hadn't set out to be rid of him, quite the contrary. His short stay in the medical field office had boosted his morale and _inspired_ him. Nanao wasn't convinced it was his calling, per se, but nor did she care to stop him.

His request for transfer had been approved. And expedited.

As she was contemplating how she ought to feel at her return home, she heard the first rustlings of activity out front. The secretaries had arrived. A quick walk to her desk and she had secured the schedules for the day. Most of the Division would be cleaning up from the party they'd happily thrown in her honor. She supposed she should've been flattered. Unfortunately, she knew her colleagues well enough to know they'd throw a party to whatever occasion they could.

It must be the Captain's influence.

It was closing time before she heard it. Abandoning the paperwork she'd been engrossed in most of the day she stood and peered out her window to find it was raining. Sliding it open, she inhaled deeply the fresh scent, noting the color of the sky had darkened the grey skies. It was getting later by the moment. Turning, she leaned her weight against the sill and peered at her desk. It was, largely, all in order. For the most part, her administrative body of work, was fully intact and operation.

Perhaps she would start her revision of her teaching schedules and- Nanao blinked abruptly. Where was Captain Kyouraku?

Pushing away from the wall she headed quickly to the front desk disturbing the women in their preparations. The women had their umbrellas at the ready.

"Good evening, Vice-Captain Ise. Can we assist you?"

They all perched on the edge of readiness. So well trained, her staff, she thought satisfactorily. "Has the Captain come in today?"

The women exchanged quick, uneasy glances. "We haven't seen him."

Nanao frowned. He'd promised to be late to work, it was a given. But not to show up at all? Without even dancing around her desk singing a ditty about how happy he was she was back? Impossible. He wouldn't miss the opportunity to be annoying.

Returning to her desk, Nanao gathered her things. She would simply have to pay him a visit. After all, it was her professional duty.

* * *

He didn't answer the door and Nanao felt no inclination to wait for an invitation. It was, as she expected, unlocked and just inside the doorway was a white ball of fluff curled up in a ball. What had the name of his cat been? She couldn't recall. Stepping over the small animal she only just noticed the small cat staring up at her, but showing no interest in where she was going. Or, for that matter, who she was. Nanao continued on.

His cat was lax security. But then, she supposed that cat fit him quite well.

"Captain!" she called cautiously.

If she was wrong and he was perfectly all right and entertaining _company_ she'd be embarrassed. The odds of that happening were monstrously low, but erring on the side of caution was the best bet. A quick inspection showed the living room and kitchen were empty. One room back would be his bedroom, a short jaunt down a short hall. The doorway was slid open and a navy blue futon was sprawled on the floor.

A man laid in it.

"Captain?" she called softly.

Pink kimono was missing. His hat was on the floor beneath a window. His Captain's coat was dishonorably heaped in a puddle by the bathroom doorway. Tabi had been discarded, wrinkled at the edge of the futon. Pink sash was untied and, frankly, missing. His uniform top was spread wide over the bed, his hakama dangerously low on his hips.

Nanao dry swallowed, her eyes darting up his torso. He was breathing, right?

The steady rise and fall of his chest was reassuring and she cautiously came closer, tip-toeing around piles of clothing. As she neared, she could hear his breath in the air.

"Captain?"

His eyes were closed and as she spoke, he inhaled deeply and sighed. "Mmnn?" Lethargic eyes fluttered open and Nanao found herself kneeling at his side, thoughts of how close he was to naked discarded. He was flushed across his cheeks.

A disconcerting notion assailed her.

He was ill.

"Captain," she repeated, again, more firmly this time, far more concerned.

Heavy eyes finally focused on her face after fluttering aimlessly a long moment. "Nanao-chan?" his voice was weak.

"You're sick," she spat, not sure who she was more upset with, herself or him. He should've told her he hadn't felt well. _She_ should've noticed the day before.

And she hadn't.

Plastering her hand to his forehead she was disappointed to find him hot. He groaned deeply and pushed himself up. If her eyes darted down his torso toward the dangerously precarious position of his hakama she hoped he was too ill to notice her attention because she'd done it before she could stop herself.

Nanao flashed onto her feet. "I'll get some water."

"I want to take a bath."

She froze partway to the bathroom unsure if he was being serious. Peering back at him she found he was combing his hands through his hair and grimacing, his back arched forward as he leaned.

"I'll… get you a towel."

Yes. A bath was probably a good idea. A better idea than a bucket and a cool cloth. He needed a nice, cool, all over submersion. Grabbing a towel from the linen closet she turned back to find him struggling to his feet with no regard to what little remained of his clothing. Nanao was torn.

Assist the man or scold him?

She was spared the indecision when he leaned onto his knees, his hakama falling. Nanao squeaked in utter mortification as his hakama remained on the bed and the Captain climbed out of it. Captain Kyouraku was hit square in the bare behind as she slapped a hand over her eyes and threw the towel at him.

"Put that towel on and then get in here. And you had better be wearing it!"

Nanao didn't wait to see if he obeyed her. Didn't need to. In the sparse moments she had to fumble with the water, he lumbered into the tiny bath, the suddenly too tiny towel secured about his waist. Dangerously, he swayed and Nanao couldn't help herself. In a moment she was plastered to his side, her arm around him.

"Why didn't you tell me you didn't feel well?" she murmured softly.

One heavy arm fell over her shoulders and then she felt one huge hand perch comfortingly at the back of her head. His heavy lidded eyes regarded her, a small smile gracing his lips. "I felt fine yesterday."

"Then why didn't you call me today? I would've-"

"Didn't have to," he interrupted softly.

The soft stroking of his fingers against her scalp made her tremble. It was impossible to hide it pressed to his side and the tell-tale flush she was sure now stained her cheeks didn't help. But he didn't tease, he simply regarded her quietly, and Nanao couldn't bristle at a genuinely sick man. Instead, she pushed with the arm around his back toward the bath stool and he came at her bidding.

When he was settled into it, Nanao reached for the shower wand and adjusted the temperature. The next few moments of quiet were spent washing his hair. The warmth of the water and the effect of the massage on his scalp loosened his muscles. With a sigh, he leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees as Nanao rinsed the last of the bubbles out of his hair. at his direction, she lowered the water temperature and handed him the wand while she wandered toward the sink to grab his shower bucket.

The bar soap she found within was wholly inadequate. "You need better soap."

"I like that soap," he remarked lazily.

Coming around to his shoulder she handed him his soap and sponge. "Wash up. I'm going to prepare the tub. You're getting cool water, so don't look forward to a hot soak."

He didn't even reply and Nanao didn't wait for him to start. She was kneeling at the tub staring into the empty basin listening to wet sounds before she realized she was doing _nothing_ and hastily reached for the tap.

* * *

To wait for him to finish, Nanao retreated to the kitchen. She busied herself being nosy, poking through drawers looking for a complete tea set. When he hadn't called her in fifteen minutes, Nanao headed back down the hall to find him reclined in the tub, fast asleep.

With a sigh, she turned and left him. She would give him another fifteen minutes before she returned him to bed.

Later, once he was tucked in bed and soundly asleep, Nanao was positive of one thing. Her Captain had no tattoos.

* * *

AN: I can't believe I've written 85 chapters for one story. This didn't turn out the way I had planned.


	86. Mercy

86 of 100: Mercy

* * *

It was two in the afternoon when he appeared on the training field. She knew it was him because had it been anyone else the sudden lack of attention by her students would've gotten them in trouble. With the Captain, it was expected of them to take heed of his presence. So, accordingly, Nanao turned to greet him as well.

"Nanao-chan, let's go on a date!"

Immediately, she turned away ignoring him instructing her students to line up in correct formation once more. He leaned down by one ear. "Official business."

Nanao quirked a brow, but dismissed the students at once. The students wandered away whispering amongst each other and Nanao was tugged along wordlessly at his bidding. That was how she'd ended up at the Academy of Kidou Sciences, a branch off the main school that mostly dealt with elite talents. Nor could she think of why they might be there until she was led into a side office and found herself face to face with a little girl.

"We're so glad you could come. We've gotten very little response in regards to our inquiries."

Nanao looked up from the round-faced child into the men standing on either side of her. One was a teacher the other an administrator if the garb was anything to go by. Both were older than she by decades.

"What inquiry?" Nanao asked.

"This young lady here is Sato Tamayo. She is one of our academy students who has demonstrated a very high proficiency for the Kidou Art. We feel, however, that her needs aren't being met by our program and were hoping for a bit of higher guidance."

They were looking for a tutor? Nanao looked back at the girl with her dark eyes and small frame. She hadn't even a brush with puberty yet. It reminded Nanao uncomfortably of her own academy years. So much younger than the other applicants, not fitting in, nowhere to go for comfort… It would be a difficult journey.

Her Captain slanted a brief glance down at her. "You were out of office when they sent out a notice."

Nanao crossed her arms and one of the men shifted uncomfortably beneath her stare. Her Captain leaned down to engage the girl. Nanao had an idea where this was heading and she was hoping she was wrong.

"You are looking for a tutor for this girl among the thirteen Divisions because you feel your staff is inadequate?" she clarified.

"Not _inadequate_ exactly," the teacher objected.

"Did you inquire at the Kidou Divisions office?"

Her line of questioning was interrupted by a giggle. The girl and her Captain had retreated over by the window and were, apparently, bird watching.

"Did you inquire at the Kidou Divisions office?" she repeated.

"They haven't responded yet. Yours was the first we had received. So far no one has come to see her."

Nanao took one look at the chattering pair by the window. "We cannot accept students into the Division before they graduate."

"Oh no, we're not asking anything of that sort. We simply would like her to have a few one-on-ones with the officers of the Divisions. Perhaps it would help."

"It _won't_ help and I'll tell you why-"

"Nanao."

Nanao glared in his direction at the scolding tone. "You cannot be serious. We-"

"A few days won't hurt," he interrupted, drawing himself up to his full height. If it was a message for her not to argue, she heeded it and stayed silent.

"As you wish."

* * *

The little girl was less of a terror than Nanao had imagined, but that had not changed her mind about the subject. Currently, with the girl under the tutelage of the secretaries out front Nanao found herself backed into her office by her Captain. If he expected _her_ to be a babysitter for that girl-

"What are we going to do with her?"

The door snapped shut behind her Captain.

"Do you remember being her age?" he asked.

"Happily, no, I do not," she answered tartly.

He didn't argue her answer but she could clearly see he was dissatisfied with her, she could tell by the way his mouth was tight. Captain Kyouraku was a mild-mannered man at his best, but it didn't put him above being annoyed or angry.

"We can give her a break from her duties as a student. You are an excellent teacher, Nanao."

If she could've stopped frowning, she would have.

The training field she selected was the farthest out they could comfortably walk. The grassy texture was both familiar and a light breeze was cool against her skin. nanao glanced back to make sure her young student was in tow and was pleased to see the tiny petulant girl was hobbling along behind her.

"How long have you been in the Academy?" Nanao asked.

"I don't remember. Feels like forever."

They stopped when Nanao spotted her long range targets set up. "My name is Ise Nanao. I am the Vice-Captain of Division Eight. I am also the Kidou Instructor for our Division. Captain Kyouraku has asked me to have you demonstrate your skill set."

"My… skill set?" the girl repeated.

Nanao looked down the range. "I want you to destroy all six of those targets, with whatever kidou you want, so long as you do not move one step forward."

The Vice Captain watched as the young girl, as instructed, did just as she was told. Six piles of rubbish later, Nanao wondered where she ought to go with the _lesson._ The girl didn't need _instruction._ She needed…

"I graduated from the Academy when I was very young. Nothing will make that journey easier for you and nothing will make time go faster. When it's over, it's over and the fact that you are so much younger than them will eventually change and no one will remember how old or young you were."

Nanao stood and headed down field without awaiting an answer. The girl remained on the spot and watched her set up new targets. By the time Nanao returned, she had formulated an idea.

"Hado number fifty only. Destroy all six."

"Fifty?" the girl asked.

"Can you do it?"

"Yes, but-"

"I changed my mind," Nanao interrupted. "Use Hado sixty-five instead."

It was almost dark by the time they reached the back steps of the Division. Nanao wondered if she'd be responsible for feeding the child considering the hour and then wondered if the girl was bunking in the barracks.

"Captain!"

Sato-chan sparked to life and dashed off, her dragging frame suddenly full of energy. The girl jumped into his arms excitedly. Nanao wondered when they'd gotten that close.

"I'm leaving for the day," she murmured as she passed by.

"What about dinner, Nanao-chan?"

"Absolutely no," she answered, and kept right on walking.

"_Is she always so grumpy?"_

Her Captain laughed.

* * *

In the midst of signing her name, Nanao was disturbed when a slender glass and a single flower was set down on the corner of her desk. The upturned white daisy was an unusual gift from her Captain. She still had the bunches of peonies he'd brought in the day before on the opposite corner that had been banished to the windowsill.

"A gift from Tamayo-san."

"Gone already?" Nanao inquired, turning her eyes back to her paper.

"She's requested permission to visit from time to time."

"And naturally, you said yes." She turned the page over, face down into the stack. "I thought they wanted her to stay a few days?"

"Do you think that's necessary?"

Finally lifting her head, she frowned at him. "No. There was nothing wrong with that girl's instruction. She was capable."

He smiled indulgently at her. "You made her do entire Hado sets."

"Are you telling me I scared her away?"

"On the contrary, sweet, Nanao. She adored you."

"I highly doubt that," Nanao replied. "She _adored_ you."

His smile inched wider. "I love it when you're jealous."

* * *

AN: Whew. I was worried that was going to get complicated. That worked out nicely.


	87. Dress

87 of 100: Dress

* * *

"Get off of me, you idiot!" Nanao struggled against the bigger woman as invading hands yanked at her clothing.

"Come on! You _have_ to wear it! I spent good money on this thing!"

The _thing_ in question was a black peony print qipao* that had fallen in a heap in the struggle out of Matsumoto's hands and was currently being stepped on.

"Ah!" Nanao screamed and struggled as a wayward hand grabbed her breast as Matsumoto tried to grab onto the edge of her uniform. "No. Don't touch that!"

"Stop squirming and get it off!" Matsumoto growled as she finally got a good hold on the edge and pulled. Nanao held on for dear life, but her grip was poor and circumstances were against her.

The fabric gave way and Nanao's struggling only helped her blond friend pull it _off. _Matsumoto finally succeeded and it pulled out of its tuck in her hakama leaving Nanao to shriek in indignation, hands flying to cover the white linen bindings over her breasts. The open office door was forgotten in her fury. Too alarmed to check to see if the commotion had drawn an audience, Nanao focused on the immediate problem in front of her.

"Give it back or I will _kill_ you," she threatened lowly. "I will pop those air-bags on your chest!"

"If you want the whole office to see you half naked-" Matsumoto started in a sing-song voice looking amused which only incised her companion further.

"No one's seeing Nanao-chan half naked," the low, authoritative voice of her Captain intoned from behind. She heard her office door slide shut as the wooden panels clicked together. Had he been there the whole time? She repressed a scream.

Nanao was sure her mortification couldn't be more complete but she didn't dare look away from the blonde, too intent upon murder. Her teeth were ground together so tight, they'd crack diamonds, her fists clenched, her arms across her chest, her shoulders stooped forward.

"You have five seconds or I'll spread your guts over my office walls."

From the corner of her eye, Nanao saw her Captain extend his arm and motion for her to give back the item with his fingers. He didn't say anything further. Nanao didn't dare look anywhere but forward.

"Fine!" Matsumoto huffed and flung the garment at the Captain's outstretched arm. "Don't wear the dress! Just _flaunt_ my good will!"

He captured the black fabric in one fist and Matsumoto breezed past. Nanao missed the woman's mischievous wink up at the man as he draped the black uniform top over her naked shoulders. Her rage vanished as she realized she'd been baring her _back_ at her Captain with only the terribly narrow strip of her binding to hide her chest obscuring his view of- a cold pallor assailed her. There was no way that material had hid enough of her tattoo for him _not_ to know what it said.

Oh! No mercy for that bitch. Anger rekindled two fold, Nanao whirled on her heels intent upon slaughter only to have those two broad hands close on her shoulder caps preventing her from barreling into his chest.

"Are you going somewhere?"

* * *

AN: Didn't think it'd ever happen, did you? I'm glad I waited, because before now I couldn't decide how I wanted it _to_ happen.


	88. Two

88 of 100: Two

* * *

Matsumoto Rangiku sat back pressing her shoulders to the wall with a languid, content sigh. The noise surrounding them in the raucous bar was unnoticed, same haunt, different night, less familiar company. They were in a sea of relative anonymity. The man across from her watched idly, one knee bent, deliberately and unusually sober.

"A bit crude," he remarked at length. He'd been sitting quietly just watching her drink for some time. She'd been waiting for him to say _something. _Anything, really, because he had to say something eventually.

"It worked, didn't it? It's not like you were having any luck getting her clothes off." Her words were beginning to slur.

"I didn't ask you to strip her down in the office," he pointed out. "Her office."

"Disappointed I didn't do it in yours?" A slow smile spread over her mouth. "But I bet you enjoyed it all the same, didn't you?"

The smile proved infectious. "Nanao is thoroughly, brilliantly pissed at you."

Laughter bubbled forth from the woman and she paused to take another long swig directly from the bottle. "I know. It was totally worth it. Especially considering the reward." She held up the bottle of sake. "I can't afford this brand."

The man in the Captain's coat gave her a careless shrug. "If you managed your money, you could."

"Huh," she scoffed. "What's the fun in that?" she quipped.

If he agreed, which he normally would, he didn't say so just then. He just sat.

"Where is she?"

"Home," he answered.

"Not going to go after her?"

"When she's less murderous."

Matsumoto grinned wickedly. "She doesn't want to murder _you._ Nanao-chan wants to have your babies."

"You're more fun when I'm drunk."

She laughed.

"How'd you know about the tattoo?"

"Walked in her naked, didn't I tell you this once?" she slurred, tipping the bottle to her mouth and then sighing satisfactorily once she swallowed. "She's cute naked if you like the slender type."

"If anyone else finds out-"he trailed off.

"No worries, Captain, Sir. My mouth is sealed."

Captain Kyouraku watched her knock back another drink and doubted any such thing. As long as the information about Nanao's tattoo remained quiet, he didn't care what Matsumoto did in her free time or how drunk she got. Their informal agreement had been hardly an agreement at all. The blonde had insisted she could get Nanao's clothes off before he could to see the tattoo only a handful of nights before. She'd been so drunk she couldn't stand without assistance. He hadn't even expected her to even remember she'd ever said it. The other men in the party had been amused. He didn't even remember who she'd gone home with that night. Usually she was quite vocal about deciding who got to take her home.

Standing, he turned for the door.

"You're heading out early."

"I don't have to try to keep her from killing you," he reminded her.

Matsumoto let out a loud laugh. "Oh, no, don't. It'll be the most excitement I've had in weeks. Hinamori doesn't have it in her, but Nanao's got steel in her spine. I'll be waiting."

Leaving the din of the bar behind, Shunsui stepped out into the night wondering what he was going to do about Nanao.

* * *

AN: Ah, ha, ha... oh the most wonderful random things are happening.


	89. Contact

89 of 100: Contact

* * *

Hinamori Momo had been friends with Ise Nanao for years but wouldn't, in retrospect, consider them _best_ friends. So when the older woman had shown up on her doorstep shaking with fury, she'd been a bit stunned. Presently, with said Vice-Captain in her living room holding a cup and staring into it as if seeing far beyond the tea, she wasn't really sure what to do.

Nanao had been stonily quiet since she'd received her tea cup almost fifteen minutes previously.

"Can I sleep here tonight?"

"O-of course you can. Is something the matter with your place? Did something happen there?" Hinamori gently inquired. "You seem so…"

"I'm going to rip her chest open and see how high her heart will _bounce_," Nanao growled, glaring at her tea.

Hinamori's eyes widened. "Ah… Um… Who exactly are you angry with?"

Nanao finally looked up and sat her cup on the table. "Matsumoto did something she should_ not_ have done."

"It must've been bad," Hinamori murmured softly. Mostly to herself. "I've never seen you so rattled before."

"That abysmal woman has just ruined my life. I just got job back. How am I supposed to go home? How am I supposed to go to _work _tomorrow?"

It was that bad? What had happened between them? Maybe tomorrow she'd drop by the Tenth to see the boisterous woman and gently ask her. Maybe if Matsumoto apologized.

"I'll rip out her tongue and wrap it around her neck," Nanao groused.

"S…Should I call Captain Kyouraku?" Hinamori offered.

"If you mention me at all to Captain Kyouraku, I'll plant you in my garden."

Hinamori blinked and wilted.

* * *

The front steps of Division Eight were being swept when she approached. Smiling fondly at the woman she recognized as one of Nanao's secretaries she waved on her way inside, quickly getting out of her way.

"Good morning," she called as she stepped in.

The three women smiled and greeted her. "Good morning Vice-Captain Hinamori."

"Is Captain Kyouraku in yet?" The three women looked at her like she was crazy and Hinamori smiled. "No, of course he isn't. She asked me to stop by and let you all know she's taking a sick day. If you could tell the Captain, I would be really grateful."

"Is Vice-Captain Ise ill?"

Hinamori floundered a moment. "Well… she has come down with a bit of something. She'd rather wait it out than come in and risk spread it about."

They were clearly suspicious at the flimsy excuse. Vice-Captain Ise had worked through more than illness before, but they nodded and extended their best wishes for their senior officer's health. Hinamori was pleased to be leaving. She had still to report to her own office. Tempted though she was to detour to the Tenth office, she knew better.

Matsumoto wouldn't be in yet either.

* * *

Hinamori was on her way out the door when she was unexpectedly intercepted, gate barely shut behind her. She had tried to talk to Matsumoto three times. The woman hadn't gone into work at all, much to Hiro-chan's annoyance.

"Good evening Momo-chan."

The young woman smiled fondly up at Nanao's Captain. "Good evening, Sir. Uh, you didn't need something-" she pointed at the office behind her.

"Unrelated." He smiled gently. "Is Nanao-chan with you?"

Hinamori paused in her answer long enough to be telling.

"Is she all right?"

The girl hastily nodded. "She… Well, she threatened me if I talked about her, but at this point it's probably safe to say you already know she's with me. I've never seen her so angry before."

"Did she tell you why?"

"No," Hinamori shook her head and stroked her hand along the coat draped over her arm. "I know that Matsumoto-san upset her, but that's about it. "

"Did she mention coming back to work soon?"

"Tomorrow," the girl answered.

"Good night, Momo-chan."

She watched hi m saunter off, even more confused than ever.

* * *

AN: It's 5 am and my neck hurts. I'll continue this later. I need to get out of this chair.


	90. Body

90 of 100: Body

* * *

In his restlessness, he composed pieces of poems to the night. Beautiful strings of song dedicated to the stars hanging low and the cape of night riding high proved to be an inadequate distraction from his thoughts of Nanao. Instead of waxing lyrical about the evening treasures out his window, he instead thought of dark hair cresting over pale, rounded shoulders or light gleaming off a pair of delicate spectacles. When distraction completely failed him, he warmed to thoughts of milky skin and dark, permanent lettering carved down her spine.

Tossing and turning, he tried _not_ to think of her. To ignore the tiny, delicate curve of her wrists and the dainty movements she made with her calligraphy brush that he so aptly watched while he lazed at work. Or the way, when she turned her head, it showed the beautiful expanse of her neck. Or, on her frazzled days the way her uniform loosed and he could see small portions of her fine collar bones.

When the dark hues of night became the light hues of morning, his heavy eyes failed him, and he slept.

* * *

Nanao peered over her new recruits gloomily. The graduating class from the Academy had consisted of one hundred and sixty-five students. If Divided evenly among the Thirteen Divisions that would be roughly twelve students each. She had ended up with six, and four of the six were female.

Not that it was inherently a problem, but… with the way they were shifting their weight on their legs and exchanging glances amongst each other she guessed they had some inaccurate ideas about what life was going to be like there.

With a deep sigh, she started at the top of the line.

"Welcome to your first day at Division Eight. I am Ise Nanao, I am your Vice-Captain. Your Captain is Kyouraku Shunsui and he is not present, you will meet him later. You will introduce yourself to me, starting at this end of the line and then you will tell me why you chose this Division to begin your journey."

In truth, applicants were required to submit written applications. After an application was received, they were sent a form letter from the front desk, it was standard procedure. Their approval or rejection usually followed in four to six weeks after that, depending on how busy the Division Offices had been in sifting through their applicants. If rejected, they were permitted to apply elsewhere. It was rare to be rejected.

Eight usually received a fairly low number of applicants at each graduation session. Graduations were held year round with the number of students in the Academy which led to a revolving door of recruits. Transfers between Divisions were amongst the chaos of new induction.

When she reached the end of the line, Nanao was wholly dissatisfied. As she was contemplating what next to say to them, a polite knock at the back of the room got her attention and she lifted her eyes to see.

"Vice-Captain Ise, your combat instructors are here." The diminutive secretary bowed and waited.

"Send them in, please. Thank you, Suki."

At the back of Combat Room One, three men and a woman with squared shoulders entered and lined up quietly behind the recruits but nearer the back wall. The secretary quietly returned to the front desk.

"We have six recruits at this session. Divide them among you and give them an overview. Their assessments shall be in your hands." Nanao dragged her gaze back to her new students. "For the first six months of your assignment here, you will be in training. For those months, your duties will be assigned to you through your Combat Instructors. You will live at the Division Eight barracks and you will follow all the rules of this Division. When those six months ends, your probationary period will end and any restrictions placed on you as new recruits will be lifted. Those will be covered with your Instructors. Failure to follow the rules assigned will result in a hearing. Punishments for infractions are determined by the Seated Officer assigned to your hearing, you can be expulsed from the Division, though it is rare. May I answer any questions at this time?"

One girl, with short hair curled around her face raised a hand shakily. "Is it true that alcohol isn't allowed in the barracks?"

The first question was about liquor? Nanao's eyebrow twitched. In the back, movement caught her eye as a swirl of pink ducked inside. Nanao straightened.

"Ah, recruit day!" the Captain drawled, stepping straight _through_ the Instructor line and then around the recruits. His wide brimmed straw hat was in his hand and his pink kimono was draped over his shoulders comfortably. Nanao was silent as he moved around to stand beside her, tensing as he lifted a hand to her back, almost at the nape of her neck, his palm hot, straight through her uniform. He raised the opposite hand to give a casual wave. "Kyouraku Shunsui, Captain of Division Eight. Liquor isn't allowed in the barracks for anyone, but there are plenty of bars. There are maps."

Nanao flinched and then glowered, snapping a fan from her waist and slapping him in the chest with it. "Captain!"

He laughed and that heavy palm against her back slid down her spine so sensually, Nanao's face flushed pink. Saying nothing, she stepped away and then forward, forcing the recruits to part as she walked through their line to the door.

The new members exchanged glances again as the Captain remained and the Instructors in the back remained silent.

When their attention was again settled on him, Captain Kyouraku gave them each a meaningful stare. "The most important thing to remember is that in Division Eight, Nanao-chan is _law." _

* * *

Nanao's office was her haven. He debated on whether or not he wanted to go in there considering the fact that the last thing he wanted to do was _talk_ to her. There were many things he wanted, but the most of them was involving his mouth and her body. Attempting to explain that to her, or explain anything, or receive an explanation was going to be difficult considering he could barely keep his mind focused enough with her _out_ of the room.

So, as a last minute decision, with barely four hours sleep he detoured from the hallway that would take him to her office and instead headed for the roof. He needed a nap.

* * *

When he woke up, the beautiful blues of the sky had bled into oranges. He was alarmed, not at the time, but that, beside him, Nanao was sitting watching the sun set. Absently, he flipped the straw hat off his head, discarding it to the side, barely missing a tray set up. Blinking away sleep he took note of the teapot, the sake canister and a covered dish.

"I brought you something to eat," she answered the unspoken question. "You were in very early today… for about five minutes."

Sitting up, he ran a hand through his hair, pushing loose strands out of his eyes. "I couldn't sleep at home."

"So you decided to come to work to sleep?" she quirked, finally looking over at him.

He examined her face but found Nanao's expression was carefully blank. She was so careful. He wondered if she knew, and then, certain that she _didn't know_, wondered how best to express his desire to _shatter_ her.

In a million pieces.

Beneath him.

With a dry swallow, he looked away. "I came to see if you were here."

"If you want me to go-"she started.

"No."

"If I should apologize-"

"No."

"If I should remove it-"

"Don't _ever." _

* * *

AN: There's more. It picks up in 91. I'll post it later today, promise.


	91. Sun Through the Trees

91 of 100: Sun through the Trees

* * *

Nanao sighed and sounded very defeated. "Then I don't know what to say."

He stared at her and the taut way she sat with her shoulders square and her spine straight. Nanao was such a by-the-rule book woman. Why did she have to say anything?

"I asked you once, do you remember, if you had ever seen me as a father figure."

"You were drunk," she answered, her eyes steadily on the sunset ahead of them. A light breeze ruffled her hair but was starting to dampen the warmth of the evening into a chill. "You usually are."

"Did you?"

"No," she answered. "You were always what you are, the Captain."

"What does that _mean?" _

She looked back at him grumpily. "It means that you are to be protected, respected, and obeyed. That is what it has always meant."

"That's why my name is on your spine?"

"No," she murmured and looked thoughtful. Written down her spine, like the title of a book. "Unrelated. It doesn't-"she trailed off and then surprised him by smiling and turning her head away as if to hide it.

"It doesn't what?" he pressed and sat up, tempted to grab her and drag her closer. He didn't dare move.

"It doesn't say _Captain."_

The silence fell heavy. Her tattoo _didn't_ say Captain. It only read his name.

.

KYOURAKU SHUNSUI.

.

Quite suddenly, she moved. Shifting her weight, she slid her legs out from beneath her and lay down. Flat. On the roof. She sighed and closed her eyes a moment and he stared at her in disbelief. Stared at her and wondered if he was still asleep. How many times had he daydreamed about her laying on the roof with him?

Apparently, dissatisfied, she reached over for his straw hat, patting the roof and not finding it. It was considerably out of reach. Captain Kyouraku nudged it toward her hand, now amused, as she picked it up and popped it over her head, shading her face and hiding her.

"I don't get it," she mumbled, from beneath the hat after a few long moments. He trailed his eyes up her body, watching her chest rise and fall. "This is _not_ relaxing. How do you sleep like this?"

He lazed back down beside her, popping his elbow up on the roof so he could relax his head on his fist. "Did you sleep with Hisagi?"

She grabbed the hat and tossed it aside. "I don't remember." That hat almost sailed off the roof with her enthusiasm.

"You don't remember?" the skeptical edge of his voice was commanding.

"If I did, it's none of your business. How many women have you slept with?" she challenged icily.

"_None_, recently."

Nanao's eyes narrowed at him. "Do you want me to applaud your _recent_ celibacy?"

"I want you to know I'm not sleeping with other women." He paused. "Then I want you to crawl in my lap and do dirty things to me."

She made a scoffing noise that, to him, sounded more entertained than offended. "You deserve to be slapped."

"I deserve to be loved."

"You're an idiot," she countered. "You _are_ loved."

He questioned whether he ought to press her on that answer. Or simply drag her closer and make her demonstrate it. in the end, the sparse moments he had to decide were in adequate as someone, quite suddenly, was shouting up at the them.

"_Vice-Captain Ise! There was an injury in training. There's blood _everywhere_!"_

Nanao stared up at the sky but showed no signs of moving. "Did someone explode?"

"_N-No,"_ the voice shakily replied.

When she turned her face toward him, her eyes were fiery. "If I have to have another of our combat rooms cleaned by a bio hazard team, I'm going to punish the people responsible for _months. _Do you know what it _costs_ to have-"

"Nanao, you are unbelievably sexy when you're pissed off," he murmured, interrupting her ire and leaning, pressing his lips against hers.

"_Vice-Captain Ise?"

* * *

_

AN: Oh. I just had a mini-heart attack thinking that half this chapter was missing._  
_


	92. Candy

92 of 100: Candy

*Mild Spoilers for Anime Arc

* * *

Nanao's desk was cluttered and she was busy when Matsumoto Rangiku stopped in. The knock on the door frame was perfunctory and short. It took the bedraggled Vice-Captain a moment to look up from her stock of papers and when she did, she faltered, staring at the woman in front of her.

"Still angry?" the busty woman stepped in the doorway hesitantly as if expecting Nanao to slip throwing stars out of her desk drawer and hurl them at her at any moment.

"I am not angry at this particular moment," Nanao decided, setting her brush aside as she thought back to a heated, hurried kiss on the rooftop. "However, I would like to point out that you have failed to apologize for your agregious behavior."

"I'm sorry. I mean, I really am sorry. I mean, it had to be done, you guys were going _nowhere. _I just wanted to help. I should've probably done it a different way."

"You shouldn't have done anything."

"Pfft! Don't even joke about that. Here you have this hot sexy man who wants desperately to get your naked skin to himself and there you are selfishly covering it all up. You need to lighten up, Nanao. Loosen that belt a little."

"How tight I wear my belt is not the issue."

"Fine," the blonde huffed. "I apologize. "

"Fine, apology accepted, but I reserve the right to extract revenge at a later date of my choosing."

The blonde smiled. "Fair enough. Here, I brought you peace offering." Carefully, she sat a pink wrapped box on the desk. Nanao looked at it speculatively.

"Its not alive, is it?"

The other woman looked at her strongely. "Of course not. OPen it! Its a great find!"

Nanao pulled off the rich colored ribbon and popped open the paper box to pull out a small, round glass canister. A tiny paintbrush was attached to the side via blue ribbon. Nanao read the label aloud. "Edible, chocolate body paint."

"See, something every girl needs when they have a hot man to take advantage of." Matsumoto seemed proud of herself. Nanao wasn't sure what to say. "Well, fine. I thought you might react that way. Take these then. I forgot about them, I had them in my desk." She threw a stack of photos down onto the tabletop.

Glossy.

Full-color.

Mostly naked.

"Oh," Nanao breathed. "Where did these-"

"They're for our calendar!" the blonde exclaimed happily. "Three of the men from the Shinigami Men's club happily posed. Another couple I had to get drunk. Captain Ukitake was a little less agreeable, so there's a bit of bondage thrown in."

If bondage meant darts pegging a Captain to a tree. She hoped Matsumoto hadn't caused too much damage, and if she had those damages were charged to Division Ten or Two since the darts looked like they might belong to Captain Soi Fon.

It was an impressive collection.

"Captain Kuchiki is not accounted for; I doubt he will be agreeable. You couldn't get Captain Kyouraku to agree?" Nanao looked up, pressing her glasses up the bridge of her nose primly.

Matsumoto fluffed her hair. "I asked, but he said he'd only agree if you took the pictures, so I guess the job's yours." The flirty woman winked at her. "Have fun with it." Her eyes lit up. "You could use the chocolate!"

Nanao didn't answer; instead she stacked the photos and opened a desk drawer for an envelope to put them away. They were still a long time from putting together a sell-able calendar.

"So, what do you think? Who has the biggest?" Matsumoto grinned like a tiger. "There were some pretty impressive packages in those pictures."

Nanao flushed. "The biggest- I hardly think speculating about-"

"KEN-CHAN has the biggest!" Yachiru suddenly popped up at the window, launching herself threw it, and onto Nanao's desk.

Quickly, Nanao produced a lollipop- multi color and round and shoved it into the girl's mouth.

"I will ignore that she just said that and assume we are all misunderstanding the situation," Nanao stated. "And we will not speculate on the size of anything."

Yachiru licked her candy contentedly. "Hey, boobs, the short Captain was looking for you."

"Uh oh. Later, kids." Matsumoto dashed out in a bid to avoid doing her work and Yachiru continued to sit on Nanao's desk.

"My, oh my," the low voice of her Captain interrupted Nanao's thoughts. She was still at a loss on how to get rid of the small officer on her desk when the man appeared. "Nanao-chan giving away candy today?"

The girl's eyes lit up. "Do you have any juice?"

Smiling, he tilted his head and thought. "I might. You want to come look with me?"

"YAY!" Yachiru leaped off the desk toward Captain Kyouraku who caught her haphazardly. Giving Nanao a lopsided grin, he walked off with her, leaving Nanao alone and bewildered at the path her day was taking.

There was simply _no_ way that Yachiru had meant what Matsumoto had been _implying_ when she said that Captain Kenpachi had the _biggest._ The girl was way too young to be looking at _those_ anyway. Luckily, Nanao's emergency supply of candy had kept the girl from commenting more. Else she might've had to go over to the Eleventh Division to have a talk with the Captain and she certainly didn't want to do that.

Shaking her head, Nanao picked up her brush once more, only to stop feeling _movement_ behind her. The ghostly figure of Katen Kyokotsu drifted toward the window and stopped to turn back and look at Nanao with her one uncovered eye. "Captain Kyouraku has the biggest." Giving a salacious smile, the statuesque oiran beauty disappeared.


	93. Person

93 of 100: Person

* * *

On the open veranda of his home, Captain Kyouraku slept. Three empty bottles of booze were scattered around his feet and a teapot, still full, had been kicked off into the garden during the early morning. When he felt a flutter against his cheek, he groaned, and slapped at the ticklish sensation, trying to bat it away.

When he felt it again, his cheek, his nose, his fingers of the opposite hand, it roused him. Shifting uncomfortably, he blinked sleepy eyes against the afternoon sun and found a handful of hell butterflies swirling around him.

Groaning, he reached out a hand and a courageous butterfly swooped in to land on his finger. The relayed message had him up dashing toward the front door in moments.

* * *

The doors of Division Four clattered open as Captain Kyouraku rushed through them. Hadn't he done this once before? Inside, chaos was quickly spreading as groups and subgroups tried to hold back feuding parties in the lobby.

"_You bitch, say that to my face!" _

"_I just said it to your face, stupid!" _

Staring at the situation in confusion, he thought the two women looked familiar. Hadn't they been new recruits a few days ago? Looking around, he tried to find Nanao, but didn't see her among the black-clad bodies.

From the back, a door slid open and Captain Unohana emerged with her third seat officer. He was pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose moodily and mumbling beneath his breath. "This situation is completely out of control."

"What's going on here?" Captain Kyouraku asked above the confusion, scratching his head, his sleepy afternoon ruined.

"Oh, good, Captain Kyouraku is here. We have a bit of a situation," Captain Unohana motioned with open palms.

Captain Kyouraku crossed his arms, missing the warmth of his pink silk. He'd neglected it in his rush to leave his residence. Fruitlessly, he tried to assess the situation: two arguing women, presumably from his Division in the middle of Division Four and Nanao missing.

"There has been a bit of a disciplinary problem," Captain Unohana answered.

He glanced at the two females who had quieted but were glaring at each other over the shoulders of the people separating them. The medical staff had been turned into referees. Had it been more under control, he would've found it amusing. "Where's Nanao?"

"She's in with one of my techs at the moment. As you can see," she pointed toward the women. "We have two of your recruits; a third has been placed in a side room."

"Another woman?"

A smile curved the lady Captain's lips. "A young man."

* * *

"It seems that two of your new recruits are rather boisterous. They discovered they were both dating the same young man."

Captain Kyouraku sighed and yawned. "So they started a fight over here?"

"It seems," she started. "They two women discovered his secret a few days ago. They had a fight over at your Division; the young man was injured quite severely. As you might imagine, his amusement with the situation has worn off. When they came over to check on him, I presume, they encountered one another in my lobby. The fight has been contained for the most part. A call for help was sent out at once to Division Eight and your Vice-Captain came to sort it out."

"So, why the urgent call for me?"

"Attacking a seated officer is a serious offense; I had no choice but to call you immediately.

Turning his eyes toward her, he opened his mouth and paused.

The medical Captain hesitated. "The two ladies you've picked up are quite explosive together, one more so than the other and I do not think that Vice-Captain Ise is used to being disobeyed. As far as I am able to tell, those present were all quite astonished."

In silence, he stroked his chin. "Where is she?"

"She's just down the hall; I left her with Hanatarou at her request. While the two young women in the lobby are still quite angry, the rest of us, including Vice-Captain Ise, are in a bit of shock at the audacity."

"Is she seriously injured?"

"It was a clean penetrative injury, blood loss was minimal, scarring will be minimal, but she is going to be uncomfortable and it will take her a few days to recover to full functionality. If she were an active-duty officer, I would have to suspend her from work."

"Can I see her?"

The lady nodded. "I think that would be a good idea."

* * *

"May I please have my clothes back?"

Captain Kyouraku smiled at the terse sound of Nanao's voice as he slid open the door. The young man in the room with her was just barely visible as he ducked behind a counter, rummaging through boxes. "Vice-Captain Ise, I have very specific orders that you are to remain here until Captain Unohana releases you."

"Did I say I was going anywhere? I only asked for my clothes. I don't want to sit here in this gown."

The _gown_ was a white garment that very much looked like a long han juban. Beside him, Captain Unohana entered and then stepped away. "Please be patient, Ise-san, we have only just gotten a hold of Captain Kyouraku."

Nanao turned as the lady Captain approached her. "I am being patient. Is it truly necessary for me to wear this? I would like to be properly attired when he comes."

Captain Unohana smiled and looked past the young woman toward him. "It's a bit too late for that. He has already come. I will leave you to talk. Hanatarou, come. If you need anything, please let me know."

Quietly, the two medical officers left the room leaving him alone with her. Nanao sighed and her shoulders slumped but she remained seated with her back to him. "I apologize you had to come down here for this."

Approaching her, he laid a hand against her shoulder. "The other day when you were called down from the roof with me- were these people involved?"

Nanao nodded. "It seems to be a romantic entanglement with temperamental people. The young man has been in our Division for a little over a year, the two girls are both recent graduates."

"And you?"

"Caught in the middle," she answered with a twist of her lips. "I was called to collect our graduates because they were making a scene. They drew their swords in the lobby, the medical staff became extremely alarmed, patrol officers from the street stormed in and it turned into a brawl before I even got here."

Slowly, he rubbed her back.

"Captain Unohana was apparently out at the time. When I did get here, the situation was," she shrugged. "The women were still shouting at each other, for some reason they had not been disarmed and were still swinging their swords _at_ each other. I turned to the right and found myself quite literally stabbed in the back."

"Is there any possibility it was an accident?"

Nanao stared at the closed window silently. "No."

Curling his fingers gently around her jaw, he tilted her face toward him and leaned down to press a lingering kiss to her cheek. "Do you wish to add anything?"

"Captain Unohana has told me that I may not be a party to the proceedings that follow. I may only offer testimony because I am an _involved party._"

Leaning close, he smiled against her cheek. "Attacking the Captain or Vice-Captain is a capital offense. It will go to Division One for hearing. You all right?"

"Fine," she murmured her eyes stormy and downcast.

"Oh, Nanao," he whispered softly. Pressing a kiss to her ear, he straightened. "I'll come get you later. Wait for me."

* * *

AN: I've been trying to finish this story all day. I've only gotten to 95. ;_;


	94. Rope

94 of 100: Rope

* * *

Commander General Yamamoto was startled awake by his prim Vice-Captain as he sat dozing at his desk. The elderly man looked up, his heavy eyebrows barely lifting as one of his former students wandered in looking unusually serious.

"Shunsui," the old man greeted. A quick glance at the clocked showed it was still early afternoon.

"Commander Yamamoto, we have taken three members of Division Eight into custody. They are being held in the stock prison," Vice-Captain Sasakibe chirped.

"Division Eight?" the Commander wondered aloud. "What's going on?"

"Nanao-chan was stabbed in the back," the lazy Captain pulled up a chair and sat.

"The other two people in custody are affiliated parities. I have sent someone over to take a statement from Vice-Captain Ise. " Vice-Captain Sasakibe hovered at the left side of the desk. "Does she wish to offer any defense or pleas on their behalf?"

The old man blinked and yawned. Captain Kyouraku leaned back in his chair and crossed his ankle over his knee. "Nope."

"Did you ask her?" the Commander General asked, a skeptical tone to his voice.

Shunsui grinned. "I asked." His smile faded. "She's upset."

"The maximum penalty for an infraction of his kind would be death, but this hardly meets the requirements meant for such a sentence." The Commander sat back and yawned again. "Since you're here, I assume you want to press for punishment?"

"The maximum penalty I can enforce is," he glanced down at a paper in his hand. "_Expel the offending person and remand them to the custody of Division One for a formal hearing and assignation of punishment._"

The Commander raised a brow. "You consulted policy?"

"One of the girls over at Four looked it up for me."

"What are the nature of Vice-Captain Ise's injuries?"

"She was stabbed in the back. The Division Four medics didn't disarm the girls before Nanao arrived," Shunsui explained.

"She will recover in a few days," the Commander nodded approvingly. "I will send the aggressor to Division Twelve. Captain Mayuri has been very inventive with prisoners lately."

* * *

"_Did you see it?" _

"_Didn't you? He stormed in and scooped her up like she was a princess!"_

"_It was dreamy!" _

* * *

"I can go to my own house," Nanao complained as he sat her down on a cushion in his living room and quickly grabbed a blue silk kimono lying over a stool and draped it around her, tucking her in. "And you need to clean this place up."

"You're off work until next week."

"Next week? I can't stay out of my office that long. People will start talking."

"They already are," he called from the kitchen. "

"All the more reason for me to go back to work immediately!" she argued, to the empty room.

Nanao grumbled to herself while she waited for him to come back.

He returned bearing a teacup. "Doctor's orders say you're out of work until next week."

"She told _me_ that I was restricted to desk duty, not that I was banned from the building. Most of my job is desk-duty. I can go to work. What do I do, if I don't go to work?"

"Take up a hobby," he suggested. "I already told you what you could do with me," he suggested with a grin.

"I'm not sure crawling into your lap at this point is appropriate," she answered with a frown.

"Well then, you have something to work up to," he cheerfully added.


	95. Castle

95 of 100: Castle

* * *

Nanao flinched as she laid down, groaning softly into her blanket. Her major injuries had been healed by Captain Unohana's skilled hands but she was achy and her surface wounds felt fragile. Her whole body felt fragile. It had been a stupid thing, getting between two aggressive women and thinking her position would keep her safe. It had been more stupid of the girl to stab her, without provocation. Even in her angriest moments at Matsumoto never would Nanao have punished a third party for interfering? She sighed and turned onto her side and inhaled the scent wafting up from her borrowed pillow.

The night would be long.

Oh, so long.

Captain Kyouraku had insisted she stay with him. He was outside on the veranda with Captain Ukitake and they were drinking the night away. The white-haired Captain had stopped by and she had sat with them briefly. They were easy company. More so before she'd been so distracted. Unable to keep her mind on the flow of conversation, she'd excused herself. She didn't want it to be as obvious as she thought it was becoming that she hadn't been paying attention to what they were saying.

The chivalrous Captain had insisted she take his bed. He'd probably fall asleep drunk on the veranda and not care, so she didn't feel _that_ guilty.

Even now, though, she could hear the quiet murmur of voices carry on the wind to where she lay. It was a comforting rhythm, those sounds. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply the scent of the man she… Nanao frowned. The man she loved? Was it appropriate to think of him that way? Instead of, the man she served?

She didn't want to think about it at all. She didn't want to think about anything. She wanted to sleep.

So why couldn't she get him out of head?

Words he'd murmured to her over the past few days twirled around her head. Ever since the kiss on the rooftop she'd been less than perfectly focused on the rest of her life. She'd been focused on the man at the _center_ of her life and her desire to change things. All kinds of things.

_"Then, I want you to crawl in my lap and do dirty things to me."_

She shivered and pulled the blankets higher over her shoulder, to her cheek, almost over her head. He wasn't even in the room and he made her flush. Then she wondered if his recent stint with celibacy actually meant _anything_. It had meant enough for him to tell her about it, she wondered, what, if anything, it meant to her. She hadn't exactly been keeping tables on what he'd been doing lately. Not that she did at any other time… he certainly seemed to be keeping up with _her_ personal life.

Then she wondered, belatedly, if she _had_ done anything with Hisagi. And would it even matter? Sure, she'd stripped and presumably been naked with him, but had she done anything else? The thought mildly horrified her. It wasn't that he wasn't attractive enough; it's that he _wasn't_ Kyouraku Shunsui. And that, probably, had always been her problem.

Nanao sighed, discontentedly.

And he was so much _older_ than her. Did that even matter? She couldn't think of a single reason why it did. All it served was to distract her from thinking about more complicated things. She knew what she wanted and she was too scared to go after it.

_"Then, I want you to crawl in my lap and do dirty things to me."_

It's not like he wouldn't let her. Maybe she should… should… what? Crawl in his lap, drag his uniform down his shoulders and lick down his throat…. She wanted to feel the friction of his whiskers against her cheek and the flat planes of his chest against her palms. Trembling, Nanao covered her head. Too many years with him, he'd corrupted her.

She couldn't go and see him now, with him outside drinking with Ukitake. Instead, she tried to imagine herself slinking out of the bed and trying to lure him away from his company. Loosen her belt, as Matsumoto had suggested. She could drag her gown down in the back along her nape and ask him if he could come help her for a few minutes.

A teacup in the kitchen that was just out of reach…?

It would probably be easier once Captain Ukitake went back home. Of course, by then the Captain would be drunk and he'd fall asleep on the deck. So, maybe in the morning. Assuming he didn't fall asleep at dawn.

Really, it'd probably be better to wait until tomorrow night. Then she could catch him before he got any visitors. She could ask him to eat with her or… have a drink. Nanao enjoyed a drink every now and again. Usually if it was tea. Or coffee. But she could do a bit of liquor. It might give her a bit more nerve.

And then she could… what the hell would she do? Set aside her cup and crawl in his lap as he'd suggested? Trail her hands up his neck and into his hair to pull his head down so she could utterly ravish him?

How was she going to get any sleep?

Nanao groaned.

If she could scrape up enough nerve to crawl out of his bed in the morning. It was strange. Whenever she'd thought of his bed in the past she'd thought of _him_ in it and now she was in it.

Alone.

* * *

AN: That is as far as I've gotten today. I'm wandering off to 96. No promises about posting it tonight. I want to finish through 100 by Sunday of this week. I wish to return to Watercolor Lenses and finish that one.


	96. Daze

96 of 100: Daze

* * *

When Nanao awoke the next morning, her first thoughts were of the man outside. Probably outside, anyway. She roused herself slowly until she caught sight of the clock on the wall which read a startling 1pm. That's what happened when wicked thoughts kept racing through one's mind. Jumping from the bed in her haste, she forgot about her recent injury and winced, gasping shortly. That's when she spotted the note and the pile of clothing beside her borrowed futon.

The scrawl, which read neatly, "Make yourself at home. I'll bring dinner," meant that she was alone in the house. Her Captain had woke and left her. And he'd apparently had time to retrieve a uniform for her to wear in the meantime. Groaning, Nanao grabbed the pile of clothing and headed for the bathroom.

If she was going to take a perverse delight in bathing with his soap, no one would ever know it but her. Stripping naked in his bathroom made her self-conscious on one hand and liberated on the other. She cradled her hands over her breasts in a ridiculous show of modesty before reminding herself that she was alone. Turning, she tried to peer at her tattoo in _his_ mirror imagining it was _his_ eyes looking at it but she couldn't really see much.

And it wasn't the same. And it wasn't going to prepare her for him seeing it either.

Or, seeing it again.

Or, more properly, seeing _all_ of it.

Scowling at herself, she turned on the water and she sat herself on his bath stool. She'd taken her hair down he previous evening for bed. She was becoming so utterly pathetic. Soaking herself down to her scalp, she wished she was in her own home. The novelty of bathing in his bathroom had worn off. She wanted to smell like _herself_ when he was close enough to notice it; she didn't want to smell like him unless he rubbed it off on her.

Blinking, she flushed and crossed her arms over her breasts again shyly. That had sounded so wrong. Had she actually just thought that? Worse, why had she even needed to remind herself how _dirty_ that could be interpreted?

* * *

Her nerves were coiled in her belly when he came home in the evening. Only, all her daydreams about what it would be _like_ came to a strange, stunted halt when he came bearing not only food but _guests. _ And he was _happy _about it as half of the Shinigami Women's Association came wandering in with food and booze.

She hoped her disappointment didn't show.

Instead, she found herself welcoming them as much as she could. Matsumoto bounced in happily and Hinamori with her though the latter was visibly less excited. Isane and the curiously bouncy Kotetsu Kiyone from the 13th smiled.

"I heard about your injury, I hope you're recovering okay?" Isane offered. "I brought you a gift."

"Oh! I brought a gift too." Matsumoto, who had come in bearing boxes, was suddenly on her feet and pushing Captain Kyouraku toward the door. "Okay, out you go! You can have Nanao when we're done with her."

Nanao watched him go regretfully. All that fretting over what, dinner with the girls? If he came back drunk she'd… Nanao stood up. "One moment."

The two people at the door stopped, surprised. Everyone was quiet and still.

"Could I speak to you for a moment outside, Captain?"

"Anything for my, Nanao-chan," he chirped happily. Nanao was not feeling so generous. She pulled him out the door, snapping it closed behind him. Away from her nosy-eavesdropping friends, she walked him all the way to the gate silently and then _outside it_ pulling him into the street_. _He looked back at the gate as if to see if anyone had followed and then down at her, clearly surprised.

"Captain," she murmured softly, reaching up to grab the collar of his Captain's coat. She dragged him down to her so she could speak softer. "If you bring one more person back to this house, I'm throwing them out. Moreover, if you come back here _drunk_, I'm not doing anything to you, in your _lap_ or otherwise. Are we clear?"

His initial surprise was warming, but not as much as the darkening of his amber eyes. He leaned close, rubbing his cheek against hers. "I'll be back soon to remind the girls that Nanao needs to go to bed early."

If she could just melt against that heavenly voice in the street… her eyes fanned closed for a moment and then she shoved him away. With a stern look, she opened the gate. "You'd better."

Inside, the girls were piled around a table and food was _everywhere._ Nanao was flattered at their effort and she smiled despite her initial disappointment. Legitimately, she was hungry even if the thought of eating after what she'd said to him outside made her belly flutter a bit.

"So!" Matsumoto bounced up and grabbed a box. "I brought you a gift. Open mine first, hers is probably something boring anyway."

With that, the tiny pink gift box given to her by medical officer Isane, was pushed aside to make way for a flat white box. Nanao suspected immediately it was _clothing_ and probably something she wouldn't _like._

With a sigh, Nanao slid the red ribbon off and lifted the lid. Tissue paper, silver with glitter, hid her prize inside. Cautiously, Nanao set aside the lid and lifted out what looked and felt like a puddle of pink silk. Lifting it by two tenuous spaghetti straps, Nanao took a good look at it and what it was missing and dropped it like it burned her. The silk pooled back into the box and Nanao slammed the lid on it with an indignant screech.

"What? Too flashy?" Matsumoto asked.

Isane was blushing faintly, having had a good look at it herself, but Kotetsu Kiyone was grinning in amusement and thought aloud. "At least it's his favorite color."

"There's no front!" Nanao objected.

"Of course there's a front, but it has cute little cut-outs for your _girls_. He'll love it!"

* * *

AN: *sigh -- one part of me feels like I'm rushing... the other part thinks that Nanao has made up her mind about what she wants. I mean, really, this is chapter 96 -- how rushed could it be?


	97. Change

97 of 100: Change

SIDESTORY

Note: Adapted from a question posed at the Bleach Exile Forum's Shunsui x Nanao Fanclub.

* * *

Nanao was at the front desk delivering completed paperwork, her attention focused on the new Form C when she heard the whistle. The slow, seductive sound was enough to make her narrow her eyebrows and turn her attention away from her work and look, just as everyone else did the same for the sight that drew such an appreciation.

The front Division doors were open, welcoming summer into the office, and providing a fine view of the Captain making his way in to work, at three in the afternoon.

"Good afternoon, ladies," he purred happily.

Nanao took stock of him, to see if she'd missed something in his appearance, only to find he looked perfectly normal. She redirected her attention to Form C. When the Captain entered the front office, a few girls came around to get closer and Nanao, senses tingling, immediately set down the form and turned toward her office. Form C would eventually make its way to her desk, there was no need to dawdle.

Cooing sessions huddled around Captain Kyouraku got on her nerves. Anytime he came in with the slightest change in his decades old routine, he got unnecessary heaps of attention which only served to blow up his already enlarged ego. Eventually, he'd probably show up himself and parade in her office until she noticed. He usually did. He wasn't content until everyone was familiarized with his new style, however minute it might've been. Of course, it was probably just another way of socializing for him.

With a snort, Nanao reached for the nearest stack of paper to her as she was again ensconced at her desk. Mission report data. Sometimes mission reports were like little novels, full of action and drama. Most of the time they were a dry outline of actions hurried written and hastily signed. Most people hadn't the flare for written word that-

"Nanao-chan!"

"Yes, Captain?" she murmured, glancing over the mission header and frowning in confusion. She didn't remember anyone being assigned to Tokyo from her Division lately. Was it in the wrong stack?

"Do you notice anything different about me today?"

"I hadn't, no," she answered, without looking up. "Have you changed something?" Nanao skipped a few pages ahead, searching for the signature of the soldier.

He made a wounded puppy sound and Nanao _did_ look up. And wondered how she didn't notice _it_ before.

"Captain," she paused. "You shaved."

Pleased, he smiled at her. "Sexy, isn't it?"

"It's different," she acknowledged, tracing the now smooth lines of his cheekbones. There wasn't even a tuft of hair on his chin. She hoped she wasn't frowning. Or worse, grimacing.

He stroked his chin and assessed her reaction. "Do you like it? Does it make me look younger?"

"Why? Are you feeling old?"

He didn't answer so she didn't retort that he _was_ old. Standing, she sighed, and walked around the desk. He had crossed his arms and was smirking, pleased. When she reached up, his smile disappeared, fading into a muted surprise, as the smooth pads of her fingertips brushed his cheek. The number of times she voluntarily touched him were few. He blinked and she ran the back of her fingers down against the same cheek.

Lifting her eyes from his jaw line, she answered. "You don't look younger."

Capturing her falling hand he brought it up against his cheek and held it still. "But do you like it?"

"No," she answered after a long, considerate moment that she hadn't needed. She didn't like it. He looked studious and responsible instead of like her sexy, disheveled old man. Stepping a half-pace closer, Nanao tilted her chin up toward her considerably taller Captain. "I like the scruffy feel of you beneath my fingers."

Still holding her captured fingers, he brought them around to his mouth and kicked her knuckles. "I'll never shave again, my sweet."

Nanao pulled her fingers free and turned back to her desk, hiding her self-satisfied smile.

* * *

AN -- this author does not like shaved Shunsui, unless he's academy-style Shunsui with that thing he grew on his chin, that was kinda hot.


	98. Meltdown

98 of 100: Meltdown

* * *

The party was livelier than Nanao expected. It was also a bit more engaging. Someone had procured alcohol and no small quantity of it. One bottle had quickly multiplied and the sake, dry and dark, was the least of the stock. Citrus cordials showed up next and then the coffee flavored liquors slipped in. At first, Nanao imbibed because she thought it would relax her nerves.

For _later._

Then she sipped because someone in the group had the good sense to purchase her favorite sweet plum sake. So smooth, so much her favorite. When the burn in her chest faded, the sweet lassitude of too much liquor settled in.

Lastly, she drank because there were so many bottles open already and she hated to see anything go to waste. Especially something pricey.

It was a rare night that Nanao could put back cups of alcohol faster than they could be set down in front of her. It would've been remiss of her lady companions not to notice this, but most of them were deep in their own cups. Two of the girls were engaged in a lively debate over which administrative member of Division Four, namely Captain or Vice Captain, had larger breasts.

Matsumoto, bottle queen, was curiously quiet on the subject. Instead, staying close to Nanao's side and refilling her glass every so often.

"Hey, Nanao-chan, what do you think he tastes like?" Matsumoto murmured, elbowing her friend discreetly, only to do it a bit harder than anticipated. Nanao squeaked in surprise at the jab to her ribs and crossed her arms at the unexpected pain.

"Taste like who?"

"The Captain," she answered.

"What Captain?"

Matsumoto giggled and held up two fingers. "How many fingers are there?"

"Five, idiot, or did you chop a few off?"

If Nanao was at all in doubt about her state of sobriety, the wozziness of her head should've tipped her off. Instead, she took once glance at the clock, approaching two in the morning and took another drink.

Didn't she tell him-?

* * *

"Flasher!" someone exclaimed.

A uniform top went flying and someone screeched. He would love it. Why was she thinking about him anyway? It was long past bedtime.

"You light weight! One more round!"

"Who's the sexiest Captain?"

"Kuchiki!" Isane exclaimed, her cheeks flushing hotly. "All that sweet vanilla crème skin!"

"Ick! No way. Captain Zaraki… all that muscle, the man is built like an ox!"

"Eww, that's so gross. His _thing_ is probably tiny."

A chorus of laughter erupted. "Did you just say his _thing_? What are you, twelve?"

"You know, if you really want to get his attention, you should stop wearing so many layers of clothes."

"W-w-what?" Kiyone exclaimed. "There is nothing wrong with my clothing!"

Matsumoto snorted. "That outfit – that hair? You look like a boy." A moment of stillness passed over the Tenth Division Vice Captain. "Unless you think he likes men?" she whispered.

"He does not! Do not smear my Captain!"

"Hey Nanao-chan!" Matsumoto bounced excitedly. "Are Kyouraku and Ukitake having hot man sex?"

Nanao's head spun.

* * *

"You know what would be really fun? Let's get matching tattoos!"

"YEAH! I know this great parlor – the artist there is fantastic. He also does piercings, anyone feeling daring tonight?"

Nanao's head hurt and she could no longer keep up with the conversation. Her last coherent moment registered her and her friends helping one another out the door and into the street.

If her Captain came now, mere hours from dawn, he wouldn't find her home.

* * *

AN: So short. Okay, I'm off to finish 99 and 100. Or maybe, _start_ 99 and 100. Ha.


	99. FortuneTelling

99 of 100: Fortune

(originally #77) ^_^;;

SIDESTORY

Graphic violent imagery notice.

* * *

The kiosk was not impressive with its tiny stand and cramped writing. Nanao didn't see the benefit of knowing her future. Nor, for that matter, did she believe some shady peddler at an equally shabby stand could _tell_ her the future. She certainly saw the "cons" of the situation, most importantly the impact it would have on her purse. But here she was being dragged out by idiots who called themselves her friends. It was one of those "rescue Nanao from her lonely life" missions the other girls liked to drag her on. Especially if they couldn't get her out on a group date, though they often tried.

Matsumoto was currently leaning over the table that had good luck charms laid out. She was also chatting up the vendor. Hinamori was beside her eyeing the same pedants with interest. Nanao yawned discreetly behind her hand and tried to think if she needed to return her book to the library in the morning on her way to school or if she had an extra day. Another look at the source material of her report could hardly be remiss.

"Nanao-chan! Come on, have your fortune told! It's your night, I'll even pay!" Matsumoto gushed, grabbing her arm and yanking her up to the table. "I've got a good feeling!"

If Matsumoto called her "Nanao-chan" one more time, she was going to hit her. They weren't little kids anymore and she didn't appreciate the affectionate term from someone she had only known a few months.

"I don't want my fortune told and let go of my uniform you're yanking it off my shoulder!" Nanao squirmed in the larger girl's hold and managed to keep her clothes intact.

"Oh, but it'll be fun," Hinamori pleaded.

She liked her, they were library buddies, but even Hinamori could have her annoying moments. Usually when she agreed with Matsumoto about _anything_.

"Yeah, lighten up a little bit. What if he leads you to the love-of-your life?"

Nanao feared where that conversation would go. Hinamori was a romantic and her notions about soul-mates were cute but terribly unrealistic. Matsumoto, well, as far as Nanao knew, didn't believe in soul mates but certainly believed in "good-old fashion fun". It was enough to give her a headache. The strawberry blonde went through boyfriends like crazy.

In the few minutes that followed she was pecked at, by this one and that one, until they pulled her, one on each side to the vendor table that she had been leaning away from. It was barely a two foot by two foot square, every surface of the little wooden table covered with amulet and pendants. The vendor himself, a middle-aged man with a full head of wavy, long hair and an outrageous pink shirt was leaning back in his chair nonchalantly. He eyed the girls appreciatively. Nanao immediately thought he was sleaze. What was wrong with middle-aged men and their disgusting school girl fantasies? Like he had _anything_ she wanted, she thought skeptically.

"Hello, girls. Can I tell your fortune? Need a good-luck charm?" he offered without so much as twitching a muscle. His pink shirt was buttoned, but probably somewhere at the bottom because it was hanging open over his chest. He was bronzed and hairy and _old._ He had to be her father's age but with the body of a man ten years younger if the muscle tone across his chest was any indicator. Nanao looked away embarrassed with her friends and their antics but more by the fact that she'd actually been _looking. _

"Hey mister, what does she need to do? Do you need to see her palm or what?" Matsumoto asked. Each of them then grabbed one of her hand's and turned them palm up facing the fortune-teller, the motion jerked her body forward and she almost tumbled into the table, sputtering indignantly.

He reached out and took her right hand in his. It was big and warm and calloused and she wondered what he did with his hands that they felt that way. The man's touch was gentle. Cradling the back of her hand in one of his, he gently traced his index finger of the other hand over her palm in slow lines, first a curve, then a straight line, then a dash. Nanao was unimpressed but it tickled and she ruthlessly shoved down inappropriate thoughts as she wondered where those hands might've been.

_Ewww._

If she shuddered and told herself it was out of disgust, only she would know the difference. She needed a good washing once she got home. A nice scrub with an antibacterial soap and then she would immerse herself into her studies. After that, she would studiously ignore the inevitable post-school day phone call from Matsumoto.

"You have repressed energy, young lady."

"What I have, sir, is self-control," she corrected tartly.

He looked up from her hand and she saw his eyes were brown. And warm. And _seeing _in a way that Nanao didn't want to be looked at. With a casual shrug he released her hand and leaned back in his chair again crossing hairy forearms across his chest.

"Bit out of sync with your generation, aren't you?" he surmised.

Nanao turned toward Matsumoto. "Do you know this person or was this just a completely random stop?"

"Him?" Matsumoto cocked her thumb at the vendor who was still looking at Nanao. "Sure, see him all the time at the karaoke bar near my house. He's a fun one. Actually, come to think of it, he might be just the thing for you-"

"I'm going home now. Don't talk to me until you grow up. In like ten years or so." Turning on her heel, she marched away in righteous anger.

"Bit of a spitfire, isn't she?" she heard the vendor drawl as she walked away.

Matsumoto's reply was lost in the distance.

* * *

The subway car was crowded as she found her way inside. She recognized some of the usual faces and was at ease with the familiar territory. When the car began to move, her mind traveled far ahead to her homework assignment. They had gone over some very interesting mathematical equations in class today and she was looking forward to trying her hand at it once again. Mathematics, she found, was a very exact study and she enjoyed it. There was usually no middle ground. In addition, she still had that paper to write and still needed to choose an appropriate topic for research.

A couple of girls were giggling a few feet away. Nanao took a glance in their direction, recognizing their school uniform, the black pleated skirts and white tops were familiar. The school wasn't far from her own. They were years younger than herself and luckier. At least they got to ride to and fro together. Nanao had been traveling to school alone for years, and for that matter she had never had really good friends either. Matsumoto and Hinamori were relatively new friends. She had chosen a high school some distance from home and the two girls were in her homeroom.

Her thoughts fleetingly returned to the vendor. _Repressed energy indeed_, she thought.

Deciding to focus her mind on her research subjects once more, she looked back toward the windows. The car beneath her and around her vibrated with the movement as the subway car picked up speed and Nanao held herself steady with the handle her fingers were wrapped around over her head. The hum drum daily commute was usually a blur, so the ear shattering rumble of an explosion was unexpected. Heat and projectile debris exploded outward instantly and passengers flew, Nanao lost her grip. Screams rent up in terror through the chaos as the wicked screech of metal against metal beckoned her into darkness.

* * *

Nanao blinked weary eyes and winced, expecting pain as she recalled her frightful last moments before darkness, but there was no pain. Instead, she stared up a blown out ceiling. The train was gaping apart, half the ceiling collapsed and still. She had fallen, haphazardly, in a pile of twisted wreckage, unidentifiable. Turning her head, she looked for the other half of the train and saw it was meters away down the subway tunnel. It was blown apart. As she sat up, a lone moving body in a tuna can of debris, she felt disoriented and strangely light. The air around her was dingy with gray smoke but she, strangely, couldn't smell it. Nor could she feel the heat of the little fire a few feet away, smoldering in a curl of twisted metal. Her subway car was crushed like a soda can, how was she still-? Pushing herself up onto her feet she turned and looked down, unsure of what to expect.

In the litter that the train had become, body parts were scattered. Nanao trembled hard, bringing her hands up to her face, covering her mouth in horror. Her eyes darted around, taking in the scene, too much to take in. There was a hand with rings on the fingers. Paper debris, bags, shoes...

"You took a long time to wake."

No.

Oh.

A cold flash assaulted Nanao was dread welled up inside her.

Not _that_ voice.

It couldn't be… turning, she saw him.

The man whose voice she suddenly feared. It couldn't be that man from the...that...the fortune teller man. Wide, disbelieving eyes stared, incredulous.

"Can't be," she whispered brokenly.

Nanao staggered toward him, her light feet not tumbling over the uneven debris field but her own clumsiness. She didn't feel anything beneath her. She forced herself not to look at the hunks of bodies and instead focused on the fortune teller who was wearing a lurid pink shirt and casually waiting for her to come to him.

And she did, slowly, stumbling over herself.

"Oh, gods, I'm dead," she exclaimed in disbelief.

His floral print shirt, totally different from his last was hanging open, gaping with one lone button fastened at the waist. He waited for her to stagger to his side, his eyes patient and steady.

"You're not even going to tell me that I'm wrong?" she snapped, her head tilted up to look at him.

His silence devastated her.

Nanao laughed suddenly, bitterly, turning on her heel to assess the destruction once more. How long had it been? How long ago had she been preoccupied with her stupid friends and her stupid homework assignment? And now none of it was important anymore.

Her family...

Her career plans...

None of it mattered.

The only thing she'd been destined for was early death.

* * *

Nanao sat, still and quiet, in the same position she'd occupied for over an hour. Her companion, the same seedy looking fortune teller, was beside her, where he'd been for the same amount of time. The train car piece she'd awakened in had become a hub of activity. Or perhaps more accurately, a portion of the train car. Rescue workers buzzed around the scene, looking fruitlessly for survivors. It was like being in a bee colony. Not a single person looked her way. If they happened to do so, their eyes skimmed over her like she was part of the scenery. In a way, she was.

Disbelief left her numb.

"You're not a fortune teller, are you?" she murmured.

His laughter was gentle. "No."

"Are you a god of death?"

She didn't raise her eyes from the wreckage to see his answering grin. "I have been called worse."

The hand that gently patted her head wasn't as comforting as it should've been.

"Were you following me around? Waiting for me to die?"

"Everyone dies, little Nanao."

"Well I don't want to be dead," she answered petulantly.

The stubborn girl wouldn't admit his presence was welcome when he sat down beside her. The only sentient creature in the subway that could acknowledge her anymore, instead, she leaned into his shoulder, her lone anchor in a world that was no longer her home.

"Am I a ghost now?"

"You have to choose to be a ghost."

"I could be a vengeful ghost," she answered. "Set people spontaneously on fire."

Curling an arm around her narrow frame shoulders, he pulled her closer to his side. "You can't do that."

"I so can," she answered.

"No, sweet Nanao-chan, _ghosts_ can't do that."

"Don't call me 'Nanao-chan', I hate that. So what do I do now?" she could _feel_ him smiling in amusement at her and hated him a little for it. Presently, she hated everything.

"You need to make your decision."

"Ghost or what?" she asked, wanting to fully know her options. It wouldn't do to make premature decisions.

"Ghost or judgment."

How was she supposed to make such a decision? Better question, what remained for her as a ghost? To spend eternity watching other people live their lives? What a waste. At least, at judgment, she could… what?

"What's judgment?"

"Going to God," he murmured.

"What about you?"

The arm over her shoulders was heavy and reassuring. It was real in a world that suddenly wasn't. the disgust she'd felt in his presence earlier evaporated. For now, he was everything.

"What about me?"

"Is this all there is? You go around collecting dead people?"

"It must be done."

"What happens at judgement?"

"You will have to go and see."

Nanao frowned.

"_Hey! Survivor over here!"_

Nanao watched as the medics and rescue workers carefully dug out the survivor. It was one of those school girls – she recognized the black skirt. Tears stung Nanao's eyes. That girl would never be the same. All her friends were dead.

"I don't want to be here anymore," she whispered softly.

Gently, he helped her to her feet and when she was again standing she realized the vendor beside her _wasn't_ the vendor beside her. He was dressed in black and a sword hung at his waist. Startled, she stumbled back from him collapsing into the brick wall.

Without a word, he withdrew his sword but did not unsheathe the weapon. Instead, he turned it so the hand faced her.

"Don't be afraid, Nanao-chan."

Carefully, he stamped the end of the sword handle to her forehead. Her world exploded in light.

* * *

In the murky smoke of the tunnel, a black butterfly fluttered up to heaven.


End file.
